


Chance Meetings

by sweet_honey_bee



Category: British Actor RPF, Tom Hiddleston - Fandom, Young British Artists | Britart RPF
Genre: Attempted Sexual Assault, Betrayal, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, False Accusations, Friendship, God(dess) of Mischief, Hotel Sex, Internal Conflict, Loki Love, Love, Making Love, Olivier awards, Oral Sex, Paparazzi, Romance, Sexual Content, Shower Sex, Slow Dancing, Tenderness, cyprus, kindness of strangers, loki role play
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-22
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-22 22:04:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 38
Words: 119,442
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4852154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweet_honey_bee/pseuds/sweet_honey_bee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When two friends attend a prestigious theatre awards, neither of them expected that a chance meeting with a ghost from the past to change their lives forever.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please note - sexual content coming up in later chapters. Thank you in advance for choosing to read my work & please do leave me your feedback as this is my very first Tom Hiddleston story... and the first fictional story I have written in over 12 years!
> 
> I'd just like to confirm that I don't know Tom Hiddleston or any of the actual people depicted within the story. These are my own interpretations of how I believe them to be.  
> I'd like to say a big thank you to my best friend Lizzi who inspired the character of Charlotte and has supported me through my writing.   
> Also, I'd like to thank my wonderful editor and close friend (and unicorn!) Alex for all of her help and guidance throughout this project - I couldn't have done it without you (especially chapter 28!)

 

"Are you even listening to me?" Charlotte asked abruptly of her best friend as the train was pulling out of London’s Euston station. After a moment, Sophia absent mindedly realised that Charlotte was waiting for a response.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, my mind is just a little…," Sophia began, before Charlotte quickly intervened.

"Distracted?" She asked stifling a laugh, knowing full well as to the reason why and so didn't press her friend any further.  Without another word, the two sat in silence as the train started to pick up speed, leaving the capital to blur into the distance.

Sophia sat back in her seat and began to think of all that had happened in the last twenty four hours...

 

"Are we ready?" Charlotte asked, as their destination came into view up ahead. Looking over at her dear friend, who had been staring out of the car window in anticipation as they passed so many of the London landmarks, was now barely able to contain her excitement. Turning to see her own elation mirrored within Charlotte’s face, Sophia simply gave her a beaming smile and nodded.  

As the stylish silver Mercedes came to a halt, the two young women could now see the start of the red carpet for this evenings prestigious Olivier Awards, to which they were attending.  The road leading up to the Royal Opera House had been cordoned off to make way for an impressive red carpet entrance which had been barricaded on either side to contain the extensive crowds who were awaiting the arrival of their favourite celebrities.

Sophia was the first of the two young women to emerge from the car into the warm evening air. Having spent a long and tiring shopping trip with Charlotte the day before in search of the perfect outfit, Sophia had finally decided upon an elegant, figure hugging black bodycon dress. Perfectly combining style and sophistication for her hourglass figure, the contrasting shimmering cream satin with delicate black lace overlay around the bust and its plunging neckline flatteringly emphasized her ample breasts. To the onlookers, it appeared that this young woman, with her shoulder length poker straight blonde hair and gentle features was relaxed and looking forward to the evening ahead as she straightened out her dress, not giving away the apprehension she was feeling ahead of her twenty ninth birthday which was now only hours away.   

Charlotte, on the other hand, oozed confidence as she stepped on to the red carpet in her exquisite emerald green taffeta evening gown. Her long flowing chestnut coloured hair, which had been perfectly curled for this special evening, cascaded over one of her tiny shoulders to frame her long, thin neck whilst the beaded detail around the waist complimented her slim figure.

It was soon clear from the long line of people trying to make their way along the carpet, that it was going to take some time for them to reach the entrance of the grand building, which had been chosen once again to host this years awards. Glancing around in wonder, Sophia tried to take in as much of goings on that they found themselves apart of on this sun-kissed April evening. Watching the other guests in complete fascination, she could see many of whom regularly stopped to take pictures of themselves whilst dressed in all their finery, whilst others were trying to spot the celebrities, who could be seen signing autographs for the hoards of onlookers on either side of the carpet.

"Look over there," Charlotte whispered in excitement as she pointed across the carpet. "It's Adam Garcia." The young friends giggled in awe as they past yet more familiar faces.

“Sophia, who’s the handsome guy over there standing next to the tall blonde?” Charlotte asked, peering over to a couple being interviewed in the middle of the carpet, not recognising the celebrity couple.

“That’s James McAvoy and his wife. He was in that film we watched the other night.” Sophia replied excitedly as she spotted the self proclaimed “trans-ginger’ Scot, who she greatly admired.

“Oh the Kiera Knightly one, yeah I remember now.” Charlotte remarked happily, looking over once again at the pint sized actor.     

 

"Thank you so much for arranging this amazing surprise for my birthday." Sophia beamed as she gently placed her delicate hand on her best friend's arm. Charlotte reciprocated her glowing smile, knowing just how much this all meant to Sophia.

Since they had first met all those years ago at University, the two of them had shared a mutual love for the theatre, which had cemented their friendship almost instantly. Realising how close the awards were to Sophia’s birthday, Charlotte had secretly arranged a weekend in london for the two of them along with tickets to attend the most lavish event in the theatre calendar.  

"I can't wait to see all the performances." Sophia beamed.

"...and to see who wins the awards." Charlotte quickly added.

"Ohh my…!" Sophia was transfixed as she saw a tall, dark haired man standing with his back to them, signing autographs and posing for photos with a group of very excitable young women.

"Is that...Tom Hiddleston?" Charlotte asked, unsure if she had mistaken the actor for someone else, until she saw the smile radiating across Sophia's face as she stared in delight. Coming to an almost instant standstill, her eyes locking on to the man she had had an overwhelming crush on for what felt like forever, stood just a few feet away from her looking incredibly handsome in a classic black tuxedo.  

For those few moments it felt as though the world had ground to a halt, her breath caught in her throat as she realised the man she was admiring was now watching her in return, a wicked smile lit up his striking features, sending a jolt through her.

"Oh my goodness, did you see that? He just smiled straight at you!" Charlotte exclaimed, grabbing at Sophia’s arm in excitement. The two friends giggled as they looked over once again, seeing that he had now returned his attention to the flurry of fans desperately calling his name.  Charlotte and Sophia looked at each other in delight before continuing along the carpet, finally reaching the buildings modern entrance.

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

 

The interior of the Royal Opera House was just as breathtaking as the outside as they stared open mouthed around them. The entranceway was crowded with people waiting patiently at the security checkpoint before making their way to various parts of the grand atrium. Further ahead, Sophia could see a cluster of well dressed people mingling in front of a set of lavish wooden doors leading to the seating within the stalls of the hall itself, clearly waiting to be allowed access to the main event. There also appeared to be another collective of guests, who seemed to all be celebrities, being escorted up a spectacular staircase just off to the left in their beautiful eveningwear.

"Oh look, there's Idina Menzel and Matthew Morrison," Sophia nudged Charlotte who seemed to be transfixed on something or someone behind them.

"Sorry, what?" She muttered, still staring around looking as though all of the colour had drained from her face.

"Are you ok hun? You look like you've seen a ghost." Sophia asked as she slid a comforting arm around her friend.

"I thought I saw someone, someone I knew a long time ago." Her eyes darting around the crowds of people until she came to the conclusion she must have been seeing things before turning her attention back to Sophia.  

Eventually, they reached the security checks, showing their tickets and opening their handbags when requested by the burly guards before being ushered towards a second staircase to the right, which was sign posted leading to the Royal Circle where they would be enjoying the evenings event.

"Lottie? Lottie? Charlotte?" They heard a voice call from behind them. Turning around, a slim built young man with mousy brown hair standing a little way from them staring in their direction. Sophia looked to Charlotte to see if there was any recognition of this stranger, although she had a feeling this may have been who her friend had earlier seen in the crowd. Charlotte looked pale, as though she might faint but somehow managed to remain calm and focused as the stranger came to stand in front of them.

"Charlotte, hi! How are you?" He asked in a slightly reserved tone.

“Luke, it's been a long time." She held her voice well whilst holding back the numerous emotions she felt seeing him again after all this time.

"What are you doing here?" He asked looking around them a little bewildered.

"I'm here with my friend, it's her birthday." Luke took his eyes away from Charlotte for a moment to glance at Sophia. He reached out his hand out in a formal manner,

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Luke Windsor." He said timidly, giving her a small smile in the hope this introduction would ease the tension he was feeling from Charlotte.

"Hi, I'm Sophia Russell.” She replied, reaching up to shake his hand. Initially Sophia couldn't see what was so wrong with the guy for Charlotte to be so hesitant with him until the realisation hit home that she'd indeed heard his name before.

 

Years ago, she remembered Charlotte mentioning her childhood best friend and the love of her life, whom she had been in love with since they were young. They had grown up living next door to each other throughout their childhoods, spending all their time together, as thick as thieves. Charlotte found as they reached their teens her feelings for him had grown into much more than that of just friends. She had been too shy to act upon them, not wanting to lose the closeness with him, having never shown the slightest hint of interest in return.

After their thirteenth birthdays, which were just days apart, Luke announced he was moving away from their sleepy village to attend a prestigious boarding school. Leaving her devastated, Charlotte hoped to still hear from him after he moved away but sadly she was left feeling disappointed. Seeing him now after all these years was like something she could only have dreamt, as all those feelings towards her childhood friend came rushing back as if it were yesterday.

"Luke," A man's voice called through the crowd. After a moment, they heard his name called again before seeing the unmistakable Tom Hiddleston making his way towards them.

"We're not due to take our seats for a while so how about we head for a drink first to mingle?” Tom suggested, having appeared not to have noticed the young women whose company Luke currently shared. Charlotte and Sophia stared at each other in disbelief at the scene that was unfolding in front of them. When Luke didn’t respond, Tom’s eyes darted across to Charlotte and then to Sophia where they lingered for a moment as he flashed her his pearly white smile before looking back at Luke, realising just what he had disrupted.

"Oh, I'm sorry for interrupting, ladies." He said with a charming and self assured tone.

"That's absolutely fine." Sophia said smiling, whilst trying with all of her might to remain calm.

"I'm Tom, by the way." He smiled again at Sophia and held out his hand. As she reached out, he bent his head slightly and kissed the back of her hand, instantly making her blush.

"...and you are?" He asked, when she wasn't instantly forthcoming with her name.

"I'm Sophia." She replied timidly.

"Well Sophia, it's lovely to meet you." His smooth, charismatic tone reeled her in as his eyes mischievously making their way up and down her beautiful body.

Charlotte was taking no notice of this new distraction as she stared at Luke in bewilderment. How could he be so casual after all this time, she thought, wondering if time had left him with very different memories of their friendship than her own.

"You're not pleased to see me, are you Lottie?" Luke's smile fell as he saw her close to tears.

"It's been such a long time Luke," She hesitated. "I was so lost when you moved away. Did you...forget about me?" She couldn't bring herself to look at him as her response came as barely a whisper.

"Oh Lottie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Life became so crazy once I started school and before I knew it, a year had gone by and I thought I'd left it too long." She shook her head as he spoke. They stood, lost in the moment of this unexpected reunion.

Seeing this as a chance to break the ice, Tom suggested that maybe the girls would like to join them for a drink before the show started. Sophia looked over at Charlotte to gauge her reaction to which she slowly nodded, giving a glimmer of a smile to her best friend. Taking Charlotte's hand, Sophia gave it a little squeeze in understanding and smiled as they followed the two guys towards the staircase.

Reaching the top of the stairs, a passing waiter offered each of them a glass of champagne which they gladly accepted. Sophia’s attention was then caught by an attractive young woman, appearing to have come from nowhere, who was now embracing Tom and leading him away by the hand into the large gathering. Sophia couldn’t help feeling disappointed as she watched him drift further into the bustle of famous faces, mentally beating herself up for having not made more of the opportunity to speak to him before he disappeared.  

Seeing that Charlotte and Luke were now in a deep conversation, she stepped away to give the two of them some time alone and wandered through the collective of guests towards the balcony overlooking the entrance to watch the people below.

 

The champagne had clearly been the ticket to calming Charlotte as she had barely stopped to take a breath as she explained her feelings to Luke,.

"I'm sorry for my reaction downstairs, by the way. You were the last person I expected to see this evening and it took me rather by surprise to say the least." Taking a large mouthful of the sparkling wine before she continued. "It's not that I'm not happy to see you, it's just, the last time I saw you we'd promised to keep in touch and then nothing. I'd always hoped you'd felt something for me, even if it wasn't in the same way I did about you..." She stared into her glass, not knowing if she wanted to see or hear his response.

"You had feelings for me? Lottie, I had no idea." Luke stood shocked, staring at her as though for the first time. "Why didn't you ever say anything?" He asked, lifting her chin so her eyes met his.

"But I thought you knew how I felt but because you didn't feel the same about me...you... you decided to move away." Finally saying out loud the fears she'd buried deep down for so long was like a weight being lifted from her heavy shoulders.  He couldn't help but stifle a giggle as she shared her feelings with him

"Of course that wasn't the reason I left, you crazy girl," Taking her hand in his and smiling, he continued.

"I'm sorry I didn't explain back then what was going on. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't risk anyone knowing my parents were getting a divorce and so I was sent away quite quickly. Please don't think for a moment longer that it was anything to do with you. You were my very best friend who I thought the world of." Pulling her into his embrace, they stood for a moment in each other's arms after all of those years apart.

Looking over to see her best friend in the arms of the guy she'd been in love with, one way or another for most of her life gave Sophia the reassurance that there may just be someone there for her too. Lost in her own thoughts now, she was more than a little startled upon hearing a familiar charismatic voice, so close she could feel his breath on her cheek.  

"Are you ok there darling?" Tom asked warmly, as he glided his large smooth hand around her waist and settling it on her lower back.

"Oh hi, yes I'm fine thanks. Just giving those two a little space." She explained, trying to catch her breath as she looked over towards Charlotte and Luke who were now busy talking away.

"I'm pleased to see Luke so happy. He doesn't talk about his childhood all that much to me but when he does, he speaks so fondly of Lottie."

"I'm finding this new nickname of hers a little strange to get used to, I've only ever known her as Charlotte." Sophia explained. "But saying that, I rather like it." She smiled kindly, looking over at her friend.

"So, I think we'll be taking our seats shortly," Tom explained as he finished the last of the champagne in his glass, edging closer to her as he did so.  

"Oh right. Yes, well I guess we should go and break the love birds up in that case." Sophia couldn’t help but think how she would much rather have continued standing there in Tom’s company for the rest of the evening but remembering that he was in fact a famous actor who she had no doubt knew plenty of far more exciting people to spend his time with, pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

"Well we could let them have a little longer together. What do you say to swapping seats with Luke so that they can sit together for the evening?" Tom suggested with a wolfish grin on his face. It took her a moment to realise that this would mean she would be spending the evening sitting with Tom!! Now this was an idea her inner goddess advised she couldn't and shouldn’t argue with.

"I think they would appreciate that." She replied in a composed tone whilst giving him a warm smile in agreement. Her mind was unable to comprehend what the evening would now have in store for both herself and Charlotte. She left it to Tom to explain the change in seating arrangements to Luke and Charlotte, who both looked extremely grateful at the opportunity to spend more time together. Leaving Tom and Luke to talk for a moment, Charlotte took a sidewards step over to Sophia.

"Thank you," She beamed, throwing her arms around Sophia's neck in happiness.

"Are you sure you don't mind about the change of plans? We are here for your birthday after all." Charlotte asked hesitantly, suddenly feeling guilty for abandoning her friend.

"It's absolutely fine hun. Just remember, it's not as though I'm getting the raw end of the deal either!" Sophia gave her a huge smile as her eyes wandered over to stare at Tom for just a moment before turning back to look at Charlotte.

"Oh my goodness, of course!! It hadn't even occurred to me where you'd be sitting instead...and who with!!" Charlotte said excitedly taking both her hands and giving them a little squeeze.

"Shh, we don't want him thinking I'm some kind of fangirl do we?" She said quietly placing a finger to her lips.

Just then a female voice came across on the tannoy announcing for all guests to begin taking their seats. The girls hugged and walked over to their new found dates for the evening.

 

 

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

"Madame, shall we?" Tom suggested as he held out his arm to Sophia who gratefully accepted. She gave him an angelic smile before they made their way to the staircase and down to the entrance of the stalls.

 

Charlotte and Luke smiled at one another, turning their attentions towards the doors leading to the Royal Circle which was located just ahead of them.

"I'm so grateful your friend suggested for you to switch seats so that we could spend some time together." Charlotte said happily as they showed their tickets to the usher at the door.

"Oh it will be in his interest too, I can assure you, but he's not my friend," he paused to contemplate this before continuing. "Well he is, but he's also my boss. I'm his personal assistant. I manage his personal appearance schedule for events like this whilst he's working on a tv show or film to keep him in the media spotlight. I also attend each event to ensure he's seen signing for fans on the red carpet, photographed with the right people and coordinating his time with the press whilst ensuring they're asking relevant questions. In other words, nothing he doesn't want to talk about."

"Like what?" She asked.

"For example, he doesn't want to be asked about his current girlfriend or the latest rumours doing the rounds about who he might or might not be dating. It could be if there's an upcoming project that the studio has asked him not to talk about such as maybe the next Marvel film and his involvement, which of course could potentially leak huge plot spoilers. The marketing teams behind the films are very tight on when that type of information is released so it can be controlled to hit the media at just the right time for maximum impact.” He smiled as she looked a little taken aback.

“And here was me thinking you were just here for a good time!" She said laughing. They took their seats in the second row with a great view of the stage and the seats below.

"To be honest, once we're inside, I do get to relax but the run up to here is a lot of what my job entails. I liaise with the organisers about transportation to and from the events, if they want Tom to present an award, that he's received the script in advance, he knows what he's presenting and who the nominees are. It keeps me busy, let’s put it that way." He began to think about all that he had seen and done in his short time in this role.

"I was just wondering, what did you mean about our switch in seats will be in his interest too?" Charlotte asked, bringing the conversation back to the moment at hand.

"It’s just that Tom mentioned to me that he'd seen a pretty blonde walking up the carpet as he was signing who'd caught his attention. He was rather impressed when it turned out to be your friend!"

"She will be pleased in that case as she very much likes him." Charlotte smiled, knowing how much her best friend would be making the most of this gold dust opportunity.

"Should I be concerned?" Luke asked, half joking.

"Oh no, not at all. He's just very much the type of guy she goes for, but I think they will both have a good time tonight. She's a great girl, he'll love her!" She reassured him. After a moment or two of scanning the seats down in the stalls, Charlotte smiled excitedly. "I think I've just spotted them over on the far side," she pointed, seeing Sophia and Tom busily chatting away as they made their way to their seats.

 

"After you, my dear." Tom gestured to the two empty seats on the end of the aisle.

"Well thank you, kind sir." Sophia gave him a playful yet seductive look as she lowered herself down into the red velvet seat.

"I hope you didn't mind too much in losing your friend for the evening." He enquired, as he sat down in the seat beside her.

"Oh no, that's ok. She more than deserves to have a little happiness tonight after organising this for her and I to begin with. It's my birthday tomorrow so she arranged our weekend down here and the tickets for this evening as a surprise." Sophia found herself feeling strangely relaxed in the company of this incredibly handsome man, whom she'd first noticed a couple of years ago in his portrayal of Loki the first 'Thor' movie. Although, it had been some of his more recent work which she'd come to admire him for. Having seen him in the production of Shakespeare's 'Coriolanus' for which he was in fact nominated for that very evening.

"How are you feeling about tonight?" She asked, wanting to keep the conversation going.

"Tonight? Oh you mean the nomination. I have some strong competition but just to be nominated is a great honour," Tom replied, looking relaxed as he sat back and unbuttoned his jacket. She'd expected him to be down to earth from interviews she'd seen with him but she could tell he was sincere in what he said and somehow made her want him to win all the more.

"Well, I think you deserve to win. It was a breathtaking performance which truly brought the character and his story to life." Sophia told him kindly.

"You saw it?" He asked, looking rather surprised by her response.

"I did indeed, with Charlotte actually, and a friend of ours." She smiled sweetly hoping he wouldn't panic as he realised that he was sitting next to a fan. "We often go to the theatre, we usually tend to see plays, but we have been known to see the odd musical too." She added, hoping this would relax the mood a little.

"Well, I'm honoured you came to see it and that you enjoyed it, that's a huge compliment." He gave her his most charismatic smile as he glided his hand gently across and coming to rest on top of her own, sending a spark of excitement through her body. She couldn’t help but notice his eyes were now watching her fixated, a wanton expression hinting within the grin that had now widened across his face. Suddenly, she became aware of the faintest of feelings emerging from deep down in her body, radiating from this most welcome physical contact.

Instantly, Sophia felt the heat rise through her cheeks, betraying her shyness as they blushed a deep shade of crimson.

‘Did he just flirt with me?’ She thought to herself, but disregarded the thought almost as soon as it had crossed her mind, remembering just who this was sitting next to her.

Unable to make eye contact with this devilishly handsome man, she quickly looked away, instead glancing around the impressive hall as the last few guests took to their seats. As the lights went down, Sophia felt Tom’s hand give hers a little squeeze before releasing it and placing it back into his lap.

 

The show began with the incredible Michael Ball performing 'Love Changes Everything' from Aspects in Love before the hosts for the evening, Gemma Arterton & Stephen Mangan began the announcement of the first award.

Around 20 minutes into the awards ceremony a young man came to Tom's side to escort him backstage to give out an award. Before standing, Tom turned to Sophia and leaned in close to her, making her jump a little at this unexpected closeness to him.

"I need to disappear for a little while to be mic'd up to present an award. Will you be ok by yourself?" He whispered, making her heart rate quicken as his warm breath tickled her neck as he spoke. She managed to nod and give him a reassuring smile before he set off after the usher who had been stood at his side. Taking a big deep breath to steady herself, she turned back to watch what was going on up on the stage as another award was being announced, this time for 'Best New Musical' to 'Book of Mormon.' This was then followed by a spine-chilling performance of 'I Will Always Love You' by Beverley Knight from 'The Bodyguard'.

Soon it was time for Tom to take to the stage to present the 'Best Actress' award. He was looking so handsome in that tuxedo Sophia thought watching him commanding the stage with his presence as he read out the list of nominations. Just then, she felt her phone vibrate in her clutch bag, so very subtlety she opened her bag to see her phone screen lit up with a message from Charlotte.

"Your date looks a bit scruffy ;) " Sophia had to stifle a laugh as she read the message. It hardly seemed real that she was spending the evening with that very man up there on the stage. This thought made her smile to herself whilst at the same time trying with all her might to concentrate on what he was saying and not about how amazing it would feel to run her hands through that incredible hair of his. Shaking her head in an effort to dislodge this train of thought, she still couldn't manage take her eyes off of him. While everyone else watched the videos on the large screen of the nominees, she realised that the seductive eyes she was staring at were in fact staring straight back at her. Taking her by surprise, she quickly looked away, blushing profusely at being caught staring right at him. Soon enough, the winner had been announced and they were giving a short acceptance speech before they all left the stage.

It was around 10 minutes or so later before Tom returned to his seat, taking Sophia by surprise, as she sat enthralled watching the cast of 'Mamma Mia' performing a medley of songs.

"Enjoying the show?" He asked, leaning in to her once again so not to speak too loudly.

"I really am, it's all been amazing so far." She smiled brightly back at him, a little startled by how close their faces now were to each other. Their eyes locked together for a moment before hearing the host announce the next award was for 'Best Actor'.

“Good luck" She said smiling excitedly, placing her hand on his arm and giving it a little squeeze. Before she knew what was happening, he had taken her hand and slid his fingers in between her own, squeezing it tightly with just the right amount of emotion to show how much this really meant to him. Trying not to read too much into what was currently happening between them, she stared at the stage in anticipation. The presenter read out the name of each of the nominated actors followed by a brief clip of each performance shown on the video screens on each side of the stage.

The tension was building as the faces of the four actors were now being broadcast live on the screen as the envelope was opened.

"...and the winner is..."

 

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

As the curtain came down and the guests around them began to stand, Sophia felt somewhat downhearted. Her sadness stemmed mainly from Tom, who sadly hadn’t won the award, though he had thoroughly deserved it. She was also coming to the realisation that the evening was now at an end which also meant the end of her evening with Tom. In that moment, she realised he was looking straight at her.  She suddenly realised from the look he was now giving her that he'd clearly asked her a question and thanks to her wandering mind, she had no idea what it was.

"It's absolutely fine if you have something else planned. I just thought that maybe the night didn't need to end quite yet." He continued.

‘He wants to do something or go somewhere’ she thought curiously. She wasn't sure what or where to but she was willing to take the chance and say yes, even though she had no idea what she was saying yes to. One thing was for certain, she wasn't ready to say goodbye to him just yet.

"Sure, why not?" She smiled, hoping not to have given herself away.

“Let's go and find Luke and Lottie so we can pick up the car and head straight there." He said smiling.  As he stood he turned to Sophia who was still rooted to her seat. He laughed and held out his hand to her.

"You comin' blondie?" He said with a wink, making Sophia laugh out loud in surprise. Of all the Disney quotes he possibly have chosen, she thought and he chooses one from her favourite film, Tangled.

"Oh, yes of course!" She grinned excitedly, quickly taking his outstretched hand as she stood up to join him. Flashing that spectacular smile of his, he intertwined his fingers with hers and led her along the aisle towards the lobby.

 

Making their way out into the atrium and down the main staircase, Luke and Charlotte were hand in hand as they went in search for Tom and Sophia.

"There you are, I thought for a moment you'd left without us." Luke said as he spotted the two of them. Luke rolled his eyes as he noticed that Tom was holding hands with Sophia, and quickly turned back to Charlotte.

"What’s wrong?" Charlotte asked, seeing Luke's facial reaction as he instantly fell back into work mode.

"It's nothing really, just that the paparazzi will have a field day the moment we step outside with the two of them holding hands." He explained, without concerning himself to lower his voice as Tom and Sophia approached.

"Luke, you worry too much," Tom replied. "I'm sure they'll have bigger fish to fry than me tonight."

They stepped out into the cool London night air to a swarm of flashes all around them which were momentarily blinding. Suddenly there were continuous shouts of

"Tom!" "Tom!" "Tom!" from the photographers as he and Luke led the girls towards the car where Clark, Tom’s driver, was waiting for them.

 

They all sat quietly as the car weaved in and out of the city traffic and it wasn't long before the car was slowing down as the Grosvenor Hotel came into view. They could see yet more Paparazzi were waiting by the entrance.

"Clark, can you drive around to the other entrance?" Luke asked from the passenger seat, hoping to avoid having to fight their way through awaiting photographers.

"Sure thing." Clark replied as they began to speed up, passing by the main entrance. Taking the next turning on the right into the side street beside the hotel, a concierge stood beside an alternative entrance. Stepping out of the car, they all quickly entered the hotel to find themselves in a large bar area which appeared to be hosting a party. Looking around, Sophia recognised some of the actors who had been at the awards earlier that evening and soon realised this must be the after show party.

"Tom, darling, glad you could make it." Called out a tall brunette, who was soon at his side and leading him away from Sophia. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy and a sense of deja vu as the striking woman, who Sophia vaguely recognised, draped herself across the newest member of her private gathering in the far corner of the room.

Realising she was now alone, Sophia turned to look for Charlotte and Luke who were standing at the bar. As she walked towards them, she could hear flirtatious laughter, which without looking back, knew was coming from where Tom was now sitting amongst the woman's friends.

"Are you ok?" Sophia asked quietly as she joined Charlotte, trying to distract herself from the thought of how easily she had lost her so-called 'date' the second they had arrived.

"I think so. It's been a crazy night in all honesty but I couldn't be happier." She smiled at her best friend in reassurance. The two of them looked around the room and then back to each other with a look of surprise and astonishment at where they had found themselves, just as Luke walked towards them.

"Can I get you a drink, Sophia?" Luke asked, passing a glass of red wine to Charlotte.

"Where did Tom get to anyway?" Charlotte asked concerned, seeing that Sophia hadn't stopped scanning the room since they arrived.

"I think he stopped to talk to someone he knows." Sophia replied casually, trying not to show how much it bothered her. Charlotte then spotted him on the other side of the room looking a little too cozy with the leggy brunette.

"Oh well, that was nice of him to abandon you just like that." Not realising the harshness of her words before seeing the distressed look on Sophia's face.

"It's ok, they obviously know each other," Sophia replied with a twinge of sadness in her voice.

"Yes but still..." Charlotte began.

"If it helps at all, I don't think he wants to be over there right now judging by the look on his face." Luke added.

"It doesn't look that way to me." She replied, more to herself rather than to the other two.

"Let's go and find somewhere to sit shall we?" Charlotte suggested, leading the way towards a set of two large double couches which had just become unoccupied. Charlotte sat down on one of the seats with Luke accompanying her, leaving Sophia to sit alone on the other.

"This is one hell of a party," Charlotte called out across the music to Sophia who could barely hear what she had said so simply nodded in agreement. Turning to Luke, Charlotte began talking at a normal volume which made it impossible for Sophia to join in, so leaving them to it, she made her excuses and headed for the bar.

After waiting nearly 10 minutes to get served, the barman finally stood in front of her waiting to take her order.

"A glass of rosé please" she requested. She watched him as he walked to the fridge behind him looking for the rosé whilst picking up a wine glass en route.   

"Hi there." Came a voice from next to her. Turning to her left, she looked up to see a particularly handsome blond haired man, with a chiseled jaw and bright blue eyes leaning on the bar, smiling alluringly at her.

"Hello." She replied when she realised he was talking to her.

"Are you having a good time?" His voice was smooth and sultry which captured her attention, not noticing his eyes subtly work their way up and down her body, lingering over her ample chest.

"Nice dress." His compliment came with a twang of seduction as he took a step closer to her.

"Thanks." She replied, feeling her cheeks instantly blush as they always did whenever someone paid her a compliment. Being a little on the shy side, she smiled and looked back at the barman who was ringing the glass of wine through the till.

"That's £11.90." He said looking up at her. Sophia was momentarily shocked at the price until she remembered where she was. Taking out her purse she opened the notes side and went to hand the barman a twenty but before he could take it from her, the stranger next to her had intervened.

"Allow me." He said giving her an award winning smile

"Oh there's no need, honestly." She continued to hold out the money to the barman.

"No really, I insist and I'll have a beer as well, please." He interjected. The barman shrugged and took the man’s money before sliding a beer out of the fridge and passing it to the stranger.

"Thank you." She gave in and smiled as she picked up the glass and raised it slightly to him.

"You're most welcome..." He hesitated, as he went to say her name but remembering he didn't yet know it, Sophia added.

"Sophia...and you are?" She asked curiously.

"I'm Jonathan, but you can call me Jon." He replied, giving her a wanton smile and a wink. She giggled as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Why don't we go and take a seat and get to know each other?" He suggested as he placed his hand around her waist and gently coaxing her closer to him, so there bodies were just inches apart.

Thinking that she didn't much like being abandoned by her so-called date, nor playing gooseberry with her best friend and Luke, she decided to go with it, after all it was only a drink.  

 

Leading her through into another lounge area she could see the entrance to a large function room just ahead where more guests were gathered. Many seemed to be dancing along to the music being pumped out by the disco which was somewhere further inside the room out of sight.

"After you." Jon offered as they found an available couch to sit on.

"So what's a beautiful lady like yourself doing alone at a party like this?" He asked taking a mouthful of his beer.

"I'm not here alone, my friends are just in the other room." She noticed his hand had found its way on to her knee as she took a sip of her wine.

"And your date?" He asked, pressing for more detail as she felt his hand slowly inch up her thigh.

"Oh, well, I somehow don't think he'll notice I'm gone." She said quietly looking down at her glass before taking a large mouthful to numb the embarrassment as she recounted losing her date within thirty seconds of entering the building.

"Then he's a fool." Jon replied, with a hint of irony in his voice as he slid across the sofa, taking Sophia by surprise. He was suddenly almost nose to nose with her but before she could react, he was moving in to kiss her. She felt an arm brush against hers as a hand grabbed Jon's shirt, pulling him to his feet in a flash. Looking to see who had come to her aid, she was surprised to see Tom standing there looking furious.

"Don't you ever go near her again, do you hear me?" He said with malice, still holding on tight to Jon's shirt.

"I didn't mean anything by it, we were just talking." Jon's voice was venomous as he stared from Tom to Sophia.

"I think it's time you left." Tom snarled pushing Jon away as he let go of his shirt and turning to Sophia.

"Whatever man, don't blame me because your date was giving off false signals, she said she wasn't here with anyone." Jon spat as he turned, glaring at Sophia and stomped off into the party room.

 

Tom turned and glared at Sophia, who in turn was staring back at him in confusion and horror of what she had just witnessed.

"What were you thinking?" He demanded, as he sat down next to her on the couch.

"I...I...I was just standing at the bar and he bought me a drink...What's the harm in that?" She asked, now feeling somewhat annoyed that he'd interjected.

"The harm is, is that he is well known in these circles for taking advantage of vulnerable young women. Some of which claim to have been assaulted by him after allowing him to buy them a drink or two!" Sophia stared at him in shock, trying to take in what he was saying.

"I'm sorry I left you back there, as you saw I didn't have a lot of choice but to go." Tom looked at Sophia who was now looking less than impressed.

"Oh, that's what happened, it looked very different from where I was standing!" She said getting up to leave, but he grabbed her hand as she turned away.

"Sophia, what's wrong?" He asked, unsure of why she would be annoyed at him.

"Nothing's wrong, I just thought you'd invited me here because you wanted to spend more time with me and then you leave me on my own the moment we arrive. But that's ok, I shouldn't have read anything in to it, my mistake." She slipped her hand out of his grasp and began to walk away from the party towards a set of large glass doors, leading to a corridor signposted for reception. Without hesitating, Tom followed her, not wanting to leave her alone.

"Sophia, please don't leave." He called after her.

"I just want to go somewhere I can hear myself think, that's all." She said without looking back at him as she reached the doors. Stepping into the corridor the door swung closed behind her and finally the music from the party became muffled. A few seconds later Tom joined her in the quiet corridor, softly reaching out to touch her shoulder, making her jump.

"What are you doing? Haven't you got a leggy brunette to be getting back to?" She threw at him upon realising he'd followed her.

"Not at all. She was just someone I worked with a few years ago that's all. She wanted to reintroduce me to her friends as she'd brought them to the set once. I have no interest in her in *that* way," he explained.

"Anyway, I'm more of a fan of blondes myself." He added with a little light humour in his voice. As she turned to look at him he smiled, making the whole world disappear into nothing as she tried with all her sanity to not believe what her head thought it was hearing.  

"I have an idea, do you trust me?" He asked, holding out his hand to her as she stood staring into his eyes as they melted away any anger she'd been feeling.

"Yes." she replied and slowly placed her hand into his.

They began to walk along the corridor hand in hand before turning down another corridor to the right which seemed to lead to yet more corridors. They soon came to a set of lifts where they came to a halt.

"Where are we going?" Sophia asked, but Tom didn't reply. As the lift doors opened he stepped inside taking her with him. He pushed the button for the highest floor and stepped back to look at her as his cheeks dimpled, and the corners of his eyes wrinkled.

 

As the lift gently made its way upwards, Sophia took a moment to reflect on how very different the night had become from what she'd expected, as she and Charlotte had left their hotel for the awards just a few short hours ago. Whilst she was absentmindedly thinking, she hadn't noticed that Tom had been unable to take his eyes off of her. Turning towards her, he began to gently stroke the back of his hand on her soft cheek, taking her by surprise, she turned to stare up at him. She met his captivating blue eyes looking back at her in wonder.

He tenderly ran his thumb across her bottom lip as she stood mesmerised in this highly unexpected situation.

Before she could say anything to respond, he leaned his head closer to hers. Placing his hand on her chin and tilting her head up to meet his, their lips met for the most tender of kisses. Sophia couldn't breath, this was a thing of dreams not real life she thought. As he kissed her again, this time with a little more passion, she found herself responding with the same level of intensity, gaining a satisfied smile from Tom as they kissed again. Her head was spinning with excitement as he pulled away from her, looking into her eyes searching for reassurance that this was what she wanted, just as the lift came to a stop.

 

To be continued...

 


	5. Chapter 5

Slowly the lift doors opened to reveal an exquisitely styled lobby area, with artwork lining the walls and a set of antique chairs set around a beautiful carved oak coffee table off to the left. Taking her hand,  Tom led a very red faced Sophia across the lobby to a set of large double doors.

As they came closer to the door she noticed the gold framed letters reading 'Royal Hyde Park Suite'. Looking up at Tom quizzically, he placed his hand into his trouser pocket and pulled out a keycard.

"This is your room?" Sophia asked, staring at him astonished.

"It's mine for tonight at least." he said smiling, opening the door onto a large open plan lounge/diner. She looked around the enormous suite in amazement, seeing the enormous comfy looking u-shaped cream sofa which was set in front of an gigantic state of the art flat screen tv, mounted up on the wall. She also noticed it even had its own kitchenette at the far end of the room including an American style fridge, microwave and an impressive coffee machine. What had caught her attention though were the distant lights shining through the large windows to the right of the stylish and modernly furnished room. Making her way over to the windows, she was mesmerised by the spectacular and breathtaking view of London. Tom watched her as he unbuttoned the jacket of his tux, slipping it off and undoing his bow tie which remained hanging loosely from his shirt collar.

"Wow! That is a beautiful view." Sophia was captivated by the city skyline and its thousands of tiny lights which went on as far as the eye could see.

"It really is." Tom said quietly, as he stared at the beauty standing before him, completely unaware of the effect she was having on him at that very moment. Walking over to join her by the window, he gently slipped his arm around her waist, resting his hand on the small of her back. She turned her head, looking up into eyes which instantly gave away his intentions to kiss her once again.

"I...I shouldn't have come up here with you...I'm sorry, I should go." She turned and headed towards the door, knowing this was a fantasy she could never have hoped to come true. After all, what could he ever see in someone like her she thought to herself.

"Sophia, please don't go!" He called out as he followed her, catching hold of her hand.

"I really should go back to the party, to Charlotte..." She began, trying to convince herself more than anyone why she shouldn't be left alone with this incredibly handsome man who she so clearly wanted nothing more than to be wrapped in those inviting arms of his and to be kissing him at this very moment.

"Will you not stay and have a drink with me, so that we can talk a little?" He didn't know why she was suddenly so desperate to leave, but hoped he could change her mind none the less. He found he'd been taken by surprise from the first moment they had met, at how this young woman was so intoxicating to him in a way he hadn't imagined.

He stared at her for a long moment, hoping she would reconsider, not wanting to lose this opportunity to spend time alone with her and to get to know her a little better.

As a million and one conflicting thoughts crossed her mind she knew deep down what she wanted.

"I guess I could stay for one drink." She finally said aloud. Smiling at him, she tightened her hold of his hand, letting him lead her to the sofa.

"Besides, that lecherous slimeball Jonathan will no doubt still be down there." He said, hoping this would reassure her to stay a little while longer as she sat down in to one of the corners of the sofa.

"That's very true and I'd rather not have to see him again." She smiled up at Tom who had remained standing whilst still holding her hand.

"Now, let me go and see what we have in the way of drinks." He leaned in and kissed the back of her hand before walking over to the kitchenette.

 

Opening the large white fridge, Tom took out a chilled bottle of champagne which he soon had unwrapped and de-corked before he joined Sophia back on the sofa with the bottle and two glasses. Picking up a small remote control from the coffee table in front of them, he turned on a hidden sound system, filling the room with the instantly recognisable voice of Adele.

"I thought we could celebrate." He announced as he poured the champagne into the first glass and handed it Sophia.

"What are we celebrating?" She asked, looking at him puzzled.

"How about...chance meetings?" He replied, pouring his own glass of champagne before setting the bottle down on the coffee table. Turning back to Sophia, he raised his glass.

"Tonight, Luke and Charlotte met for the first time since they were children which is wonderful. That in turn also meant a chance meeting for the two of us, which personally, I think is also something to celebrate." He smiled that truly captivating smile. She hesitated for a moment, still trying to convince herself this wasn't all a dream, before smiling back at him and raised her glass to meet his.

"To chance meetings." She echoed and took a large sip of champagne. Feeling suddenly a little nervous, she stared into the glass.

Seeing a glimmer of concern on her face, Tom leaned towards her, placing his hand on her cheek.

"Are you ok darling?"

She bit her lower lip, unsure if to share these feelings with him.

"I'm fine," She hesitated "This has all been a little surreal, that's all. Things like this don't happen to normal people like me." She explained, staring at a non existent speck in her glass, unable to make eye contact with him.

"We're just sat having a relaxing drink." He said reassuringly, hoping to put her at ease.

"You know what I mean though? It's not everyday you're kissed by the person you kinda have crush on." She could feel her cheeks burning with embarrassment admitting this to him.

There was silence for a moment while he contemplated this revelation. She couldn't bring herself to look at him, as the seconds passed by she knew she'd made a huge mistake, revealing this to him.

"So, while we’re sharing secrets, I have to admit to having had my own agenda this evening. From the moment I saw you on the red carpet I was captivated by you. I would have gone to extraordinary levels to have you alone like this but as it happened fate stepped in and brought those closest to us together, making my desires easier to satisfy." He continued to caress her cheek as he spoke.

"I thought I'd missed my chance with you when I saw you with that guy earlier and I'm sorry for having left you, allowing for that situation to have occurred. I hate to think what could have happened had I not have intervened..." At this she cut him off, quickly sitting back and out of his embrace.

"Nothing would have happened. I am a strong, independent woman who wouldn't let herself be manipulated into a situation she couldn't control. You have me wrong if you thought I would have gone anywhere with that sleaze." She stared at Tom with a mixture of hurt and irritation at his low opinion of her.

"I'm here with you now because I want to be, not because I'm too weak to say no." She couldn't look at him now as the tears built up in her eyes, threatening to expose the hurt. However, these were tears of frustration rather than upset, seeing the closeness between them rapidly fading away.

"Sophia, I..." Tom hesitated, choosing his words carefully.

"I'm so sorry if I've offended you. I don't doubt that you could handle yourself in a situation, I just meant that, had I have not been dragged away then you wouldn't have been alone and that situation would never have occurred. I blame myself entirely." She looked up at his face, a mixture of concern and hesitation staring back at her.

"It wasn't your fault. It was mine, for allowing him to use my disappointment at your 'absence' to gain my interest to begin with. Let's forget it happened and enjoy the rest of the evening." The corners of her lips rose, instantly lightening the mood between them.

"Would you like a top up?" He asked, gesturing to her half empty glass.

"Sure, why not?" She held out her glass as he reached for the bottle before pouring champagne into Sophia's glass, followed by his own.

"So then Sophia, tell me a little about yourself." Tom asked inquisitively as they settled back into a more relaxed state.

 

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things begin to heat up for both Sophia and Charlotte... adult contents starts from here folks so enjoy but please be advised there is an attempted sexual attack within this chapter. 
> 
> Enjoy and don't forget to share your thoughts! :D

The atmosphere in the party was electric as Charlotte and Luke made their way to the dance floor. Everyone around them seemed to be drunk but enjoying themselves.

"Are you having a good time?" Luke asked.

"I really am and it's even better that I get to be here with you." She replied, giving him huge smile.

"I can't believe you've got me up here, I told you I don't dance!" He grinned back at her as he thought about how happy he was.  

"I've missed you not being in my life Lottie, and I don't ever want to lose you again." Pulling her in close to him, not caring about the other party goers around them, he leaned in and kissed her. A heartfelt kiss that deep down, they had both been waiting a lifetime to share.

Smiling from ear to ear, Charlotte thought she couldn't imagine being happier.

From the other side of the room, in a darkened corner, a lone pair of eyes sinisterly watched the two of them embracing.

‘If I can't have the blonde, then the brunette will make for a new challenge.’ Jonathan thought to himself.

 

They danced for another few songs before Luke suggested they head to the bar for drinks.

"Have you seen Sophia or Tom recently?" Charlotte asked, realising she hadn't seen either of them for some time, separately or together.

"You know, I can't say that I have. I'm sure they are both here somewhere." He reassured her.

"You know, I'm going to go and...powder my nose. I'll meet you at the bar." Charlotte said, letting go of Luke's hand and heading in the opposite direction towards the ladies. As she entered, the lone figure who'd been watching her stood up and began to make his way towards the bathrooms. His blonde hair and appearance looked less refined than it had been upon his arrival at the party he thought, no thanks to that jumped up Hiddleston and his prissy blonde tease. Well, no matter, as he waited patiently for his new target.

As Charlotte walked out of the bathrooms she checked her phone, surprised not to have a message or a call from Sophia. Opening up a new text, she began to write out a message to make sure she was ok but suddenly smacked straight into someone.

"Ouch!" Jonathan yelled as Charlotte trod on his foot. Jumping backwards in pain, the bottled beer in his hand spilt down his shirt.

"I am so sorry!" She said horror-struck that she'd been so absent-minded not to have been watching where she was going.

"Oh no, your shirt is soaked." She exclaimed, noticing the light brown wet stain on his chest.

"That's ok, it could have been a lot worse." He replied, turning on the charm he added,

"If it had been anyone else I'd have been furious but how can I be mad with a beauty such as yourself!" He grinned his perfect pearly white smile.

"I'm truly sorry again." Charlotte repeated. Taking a sidestep she went to pass him but not before he slid his arm out, grabbing her arm just above the elbow and stopping her in her tracks.

"Not so fast beautiful one...I said I wasn't mad with you, I didn't say I was going to let you off scot free." He hissed, almost in a whisper so as not to be heard by anyone nearby, though looking around, Charlotte could see that there was now no one now in the lounge. Feeling a pang of concern for her own safety, she calmly smiled at him, so not to give herself away and tried to free her arm from his grasp but he was having none of it.

"You're not leaving until I say you can leave." He spat at her.

“What do you want?” She asked, trying to steady her voice whilst feeling the rest of her body was giving her away with how much she was shaking.

"Nothing much,  just a kiss that's all.  A single, solitary kiss." His face twisted with pleasure as he said these words.

"What? No, I'm not gonna do that!" She exclaimed.

"And why not?" He asked.

"Because, I'm here with somebody." She replied, still a little shocked at this guy’s forwardness.

"I won’t tell if you won't." He winked at her as a sinister smile crept across his face.

"I really don't think it's appropriate, in all honesty, so I'm just gonna get back to him now if it's all the same to you." All the time she was speaking, Charlotte was looking for a way out, hoping someone would come in and deter this pest so that she could get back to Luke but no one did.

"Oh come on, all I want is a kiss. Give me that and I'll let you get back to your boyfriend." He wasn't going to give up so easily and Charlotte was starting to feel as though she was being backed into a corner.

"You've had your little bit of fun, but the joke’s over now, I'd like to leave." She retorted, trying to sound braver than she felt.

"And I'd like you to kiss me, so give me what I want and I'll grant you yours in return."

Desperately hoping someone would walk in at that very moment so this would all be over, Charlotte frantically looked between the doorway into the party room and the other lounge where Luke was waiting for her.

In a split second he had pushed her up against the wall, his face just inches away from hers, anger raging in his eyes. Raising her hands to push him away he grabbed her by the wrists sharply, pinning them above her head.  

“I don’t know why you are resisting, I can tell you want me.” He whispered. The words oozed venom as he enunciated each one in turn before he roughly forced his lips onto hers, leaving her helpless and smearing her lipstick. The attack only lasted a moment but left her shocked and bewildered as he straightened up, pulled his bow tie back into place as he sneered at her bewildered expression.

“See that wasn’t so bad now was it? Maybe we should do this again sometime.” He twisted his finger around a strand of her hair as he leaned in and whispered into her ear,

“I think we should keep this between the two of us, don’t you? Don’t think your boyfriend will like the idea of you leading on other men like this.” And he walked away without another word.      

 

 

"...There's not much to know about me really" Sophia explained shyly.

"I'm an only child. My parents are divorced, dad lives in the States due to his job and mum lives near Manchester with my stepdad Steve. I share an apartment with Charlotte in Birmingham, where we both work." She couldn’t help but feel a little nervous as she described her life but seeing Tom's encouraging smile, she carried on.

"Charlotte and I met at university and have been best friends ever since. She was there studying to become a teacher whilst I was majoring in Media and English. I'm really passionate about music and films, and love spending hours on end reading. I'm sure I sound pretty boring but my life's an open book, you get what you see with me." She blushed as she realised he was grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh my darling, you are anything but boring," He reassured her, slowly running a single digit up and down the soft, lightly tanned arm.

"I love that we share a love for literature and movies...I'm sure those are just the first of many things." He grinned at her warmly, instantly helping her to feel more relaxed.

"I absolutely love this song!" Sophia cooed as ‘I Won’t Give Up’ by Jason Mraz began to play through the sound system. She saw a twinkle in Tom’s eyes as he appeared to have had an idea.

"Will you dance with me?" He asked, holding out his large hand to her.

"I'd really like that, seeing as we didn't get a chance to downstairs at the party!" Her heart was beating hard within her chest as she looked up into his bewitching blue-green eyes.

Once she was on her feet she soon found herself being glided into Tom's embrace as they slowly began to move to the music.

 

‘When I look into your eyes, It's like watching the night sky, Or a beautiful sunrise...’

 

The heartwarming song began. Leaning her head into his muscular shoulder she began to relax, feeling his hands pulling her tighter into him still further as he lowered his head so that his cheek was now resting on the top of hers. As she felt the warmth of his strong, muscular hands resting on her back. Closing her eyes, she hoped this moment of perfection would never end.

After a moment, she slowly lifted her head to look up into his heart-stoppingly handsome features, who she was surprised still seemed around 6 inches taller than she was, even in the crazy high heels she was currently wearing.  He seemed so complacent as she watched him, his cares and concerns drifting far away as he softly began to stroke her hair with the palm of his hand. Smiling to herself, Sophia leaned back into him, resting her head into his chest as she glided her fingertips up his long, muscular arms, sliding them across his shoulders and finally joining at the nape of his neck.

 

Continuing to sway to the music, Tom discreetly peered down at the beautiful young woman in his arms. He began to wonder to himself just where she had been hiding all this time, for until now he'd felt that something had been truly missing from his life.

 

‘...Well, I won’t give up on us, even if the skies get rough, …’

 

The song played out around the room as he held her tightly against his well formed physique.

"I don't think I could ever let you go." He whispered into her ear, placing a soft kiss to her cheek. Instantly, he felt a radiating smile form across her lips.    

"I don't think I ever want you to." She replied. His fingertips gently tilted her chin up towards him, encouraging her lips to find his once again. Their kiss began as soft and gentle as their first had been but soon became more urgent as the intensity between them began to rise. Tom tenderly began circling both of his hands across her back, tracing his delicate fingers up and down her curves, taking in every inch of incredible woman who had so quickly captured his heart.

"You have an amazing body." He told her, instantly making her blush.

"You also need to learn to accept compliments." He smiled down at her, with a longing which he now reassuringly saw reflected back at him within her own sparkling blue eyes before he passionately kissed her once again.

Sophia felt Tom’s hands slide further down to her behind as he gently ran his tongue along her lower lip, looking for access into her mouth. She instantly found herself responding, parting her lips just enough for him begin gently massaging her tongue with his own. She let out a soft quiet moan as the warm deep feeling in her body craved for his every touch. Gliding her hands effortlessly down his back, she traced his broad shoulder blades through his tight shirt, before sweeping them round to his muscular chest whilst their lips continued to explore one another. She felt his warm hands reach up to her soft cheeks as their kiss deepened, bringing them both to a moment where they gently moaned into their kiss. Gently removing his tongue, he began to place gentle kisses on the edge of her mouth, continuing across to her jawline before making his way slowly down her soft, supple neck.

Sophia suddenly realised she could now feel his prominent hardness through his tightly fitted trousers.  Taking her a little by surprise, she felt the tingling in between her thighs was building with this new development. Reaching for the collar of his shirt, she removed the loose hanging bowtie from around his neck and slid her fingers down to undo the first of the buttons on his shirt before he reached down, scooping her up in his to his arms with ease and headed towards the bedroom.

 

Stepping into the large master bedroom which was dimly lit by the bedside lamps, Tom made his way over to the king sized bed and slowly lowered her down into a sitting position onto the edge. Taking a moment to slip off his shoes and socks, he turned back to see that Sophia had also dispersed of her shoes but appeared to be a little nervous.

"Are you ok?" He asked, caressing her cheek as he sat down next to her.

"I really am." She said, giving him a reassuring smile before leaning in to kiss him. She soon found her confidence growing as the champagne took its effect on her inhibitions as she once again slowly began to undo the buttons of his crisp white shirt.

Taking him a little by surprise, she gently slid her fingertips over his now bare chest, feeling the warmth radiating into her every digit before leaning into place the softest of kisses along his muscular frame. Feeling Tom's hands on her rounded shoulders before making their way gradually down her back to the zip on her dress, which he slowly began to undo. Lowering his head a little, he began kissing her enticing shoulder whilst he continued to pull down the zip towards her lower back. His lips soon found their way to her inviting neck once again, trailing slow, lingering kisses up to her earlobe which he gently sucked seductively, causing her to let out a small moan.

"You like that, baby?" He asked teasingly as he finished unzipping her dress.

"Uh huh." She whispered, as his kisses came to a halt. Wanting now to part her from the dress that was still clinging to her, he rose to his feet, with Sophia’s hands still lingering on his chest as he brought her up to meet him in a kiss that was truly full of desire. In one simple movement he had subtly glided her dress over her curvaceous body, before gently falling to the floor. Sophia instantly blushed as she now stood before him in just her underwear.

"You shouldn't be ashamed of this incredible body darling because you look intoxicating." He couldn't stop looking her up and down as he took in every inch of her, seeing her blush once again.  Not wanting to ruin this perfect moment she simply smiled and kissed him deeply as her hands glided along his chest, slowly making their way to the waistband of his trousers. She made light work of the single button before taking hold of the zip which was restraining his now obvious erection.

A small satisfied smile creeped across her lips hearing Tom’s breath sharply hitch within his throat and the grip of his hands on her waist tightened at the feel of her fingers brushing against him, as she slowly guided the zip downwards. Sliding her hands up to his hips, Sophia delved inside his designer tuxedo trousers and across the elasticated branding of his tight fitting Armani boxer shorts, easing the waistband of his trousers down over his groin whilst easing her hands around to his toned behind. No sooner were his trousers gathered around his ankles, than they had been disregarded alongside Sophia's crumpled dress.

Sophia couldn’t help but notice that the music that had earlier been playing in the lounge, was also quietly playing in the background of the bedroom as their passionate embrace continued. She recognised the opening bars to one of her favourite songs, ‘How Long Will I Love You’ by Ellie Goulding as it quietly began to play.

Feeling his lips once again descending upon her smooth and seamless shoulders, her burning desire for this incredible man was escalating exponentially as a shiver of pleasure spiraling through her body. With all of her senses heightening by the second, the lightest of touches only added to the level of ecstasy rising within her as his confident hands were a now steadily making their way up her back before effortlessly unhooking and removing her bra.

Tom couldn’t hold back his wanton expression as his eyes feasted on her naked flesh, drinking her in before tenderly caressing her smooth, inviting skin. Gradually moving his attention to one of her plumped pink nipples, he gently began to massage it within his fingertips which instantly became erect at his touch. Leaning in to take her between his lips, his tongue glided around its edges before ascending to her peak, increasing the moans of pleasure she was unable to contain as she felt her arousal ever building deep down. She couldn’t help but feel a spark of excitement run through her thinking about who it was that she was with right now and just quite what they were doing as she stared down into his handsome features whilst his lips kissed their way across to her other breast.

Carefully sitting Sophia onto the edge of the bed, they could both feel the intensity between them was bringing the two of them to a heightened level as their eyes locked on to one another before he slid her further back on to the bed. Lowing his head to the inside of her calf, he began a slow, steadying stream of kisses over her skin, making his way slowly up to her thigh whilst his hands glided up to her breasts. Sophia closed her eyes as the intensity was building with every kiss and every touch. His lips brushed across her right hip as one of his hands descended down to her navel when she felt a smile cross his hungry lips

"Oh, nice piercing!" He said kissing all around the silver bar which held a shining small round amethyst crystal.

"I find that rather sexy." He said, again making her blush but this time it was less noticeable as her whole body felt as though it were on fire.

He tucked his thumbs casually into the sides of her lace black panties as he slid them down her legs and disregarded them on the floor, leaving Sophia feeling a little exposed. Seeing the faintest of nervous flickers across her beautiful face at this precise moment, he leaned up and kissed her passionately on the mouth, soothingly running his tongue along her lips which soon found her own, intensifying their kiss. As he was hovering above her, she began to run her hands through his hair, which instantly heightened her need for him as she gently twisted her fingers through the soft maine.

Sliding her hands down to his upper back, she ran her long fingernails across the surface of his skin, bringing out a pained moan from deep within Tom, something she wasn’t entirely sure was a bad thing, before sweeping her hands around to his toned stomach muscles which she thought were strangely sexy.

As her hands moved lower still, she glided them to the top of his boxers which she took no hesitation in sliding over his firm cheeks and down to his ankles which he soon kicked to the floor.

Sophia felt Tom lift one of his hands from her chest and slid it down towards the top of the inside of her thigh, which instantly heightened every excited nerve in her body as he began to massage her with his perfect rhythm. Her whole world was spinning into a cloud of intense pleasure as she groaned loudly, pushing her body down into his hand in a wanton need the intensity to never end as she felt him bring her to her moment of climax. As Tom kissed her passionately, he gently eased himself between her thighs, wanting to be as intimate with her as he possibly could be.

The night felt as though it could go on forever for the two of them as they continued to make love in to the early hours, having no thought but the two of them together in those perfect moments.

 

Tom quietly lay in the dark watching her tiny frame as she slept, wondering how after being so focused on his career for all this time that he may finally have found the one he wanted to share his life with after just one evening in her company.

The sleeping angel curled up in his arms had no idea how ready he had been to meet her tonight. After a couple of very public romances a while ago which hadn't worked out as he'd hoped, he'd found himself working on project after project without proper time to rest. He threw himself in to charity fundraisers and voiceover work in between filming schedules so as not to dwell on having not yet found ‘miss right’, until tonight that was.

 

To be continued...

 


	7. Chapter 7

A small crack of light appeared through a gap in the heavily lined curtain which was just enough to stir Sophia from her sleep. She'd always been a light sleeper but last night she'd slept peacefully for the first time in quite a while.

Turning away from the window on to her side, she moved slowly so as not to disturb Tom, until she realised she was in the bed alone. That joyous feeling of their incredible night together instantly fell, crashing in around her. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear her ridiculous thoughts, she considered that there could be a number of reasons as to why he was no longer laying beside her. He could simply have woken early and be relaxing in the lounge, or had slipped out for an early morning run, although after last night's workout, she'd be amazed if that were true she thought to herself with a small giggle. Just then she heard the door open and saw Tom's head creep around the edge of the door, checking to see if she was awake.

"Good morning, sleeping beauty." He beamed, spotting her eyes watching him curiously as he stepped from behind the door with a tray of breakfast treats. A smile quickly grew across her face seeing how happy he looked as he walked towards the bed wearing a fluffy white dressing gown.

"I thought you might be hungry." He said, placing the tray down and climbing on to the bed next to her.

As he gently kissed her forehead he whispered

“Happy birthday.”

"Ohh, yes so it is! Thank you!" She grinned happily.

Looking over at the selection of pastries, fruit and juices her stomach reminded her of just of hungry she was.  

"That all looks wonderful, thank you Tom." She added as he handed her a cup of tea.

"It's the only way to start this special morning." He smiled contentedly.

After tucking into a couple of the pastries, Sophia began thinking about last night and suddenly about having unintentionally abandoning Charlotte. She must be frantically worried about where Sophia was and had no doubt rang her mobile a million times panicking.

"What time is it?" She asked.

"Thinking of disappearing on me already?" Tom replied, trying to keep his response casual.

"No, not at all!" She said, trying so hard not to sound either desperate to get away or not remotely bothered as to what had taken place between them the night before.

"I was just thinking about Charlotte and how worried she must be. I never saw her after I went to the bar to get a drink last night before I met that slimeball Jonathan. I hope she's ok."

"She's fine, she’ll be with Luke. He has a room at the Hilton down the road where they stayed last night." He told her with a cheeky grin.

"Oh right...ohhhhh ok!" Still a little sleepy, it took Sophia a moment to catch on to what he was saying.

Once they had both eaten, Tom slid the breakfast tray on to the floor and lounged back on the bed facing Sophia, who he watched happily as she laid there quietly next to him with the bed sheet tucked up around her with her eyelids closed. Leaning over, he softly placed a kiss on her cheek, instantly bringing a smile to her face.

"You look so peaceful, I couldn't help myself." He whispered. Tilting her head towards him and opening her eyes just a minuscule amount, she smiled at him before leaning closer to kiss him, smiling at the lingering taste of strawberry jam on his already sweet lips. As she went to lean back he pulled her closer to him, kissing her again, with each kiss more intense than the last. Their desire for each other soon found them once again under the covers, exploring every inch of the others body with the outside world a distant thought.

 

"I really should be going." Sophia mumbled sleepily as she lay curled into Tom's chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

"I really don't think you should!" He gently kissed her lips, leaving her instantly wanting more.

"If you're going to do that everytime I mention leaving, I may never leave this bed!" She giggled, making Tom laugh also. Her laugh was infectious, as was her smile, her beautiful body and everything about her, he realised.

"That's fine by me!" He said cheekily, pulling the covers over their heads as he climbed on top of her.

 

Having no concept of time, Sophia decided she needed to reconnect with the world as she went in search of her mobile phone. Not wanting to walk about in her birthday suit, she spotted Tom's shirt he'd been wearing the night before so decided to slip it on along with her panties which had been laying next to the shirt.

She buttoned up the shirt, leaving the top two buttons undone and slipped out of the room, not wanting to wake Tom, who was still fast asleep.

Looking around, she spotted her clutch bag close to where she had been sitting last night whilst they got to know each other a little better. As she walked over to the sofa, she felt a mixture of tiredness and exhilaration at how incredible her life was at that very moment, almost unable to believe she wasn’t dreaming.

Taking out her phone, she saw she'd had a several messages which included one from Charlotte, as well as a missed call from last night and another from a few hours ago. Hitting the call back button, she put the phone to her ear as the dialling tone began. After a few rings she was about to hang up until she heard a very chirpy Charlotte on the other end of the phone.

"Hey hun, happy birthday! Glad you're back in the land of the living!" Charlotte said jokingly.

"Hey darlin. Thanks! I wouldn't quite go that far, I've only just woken up. Where are you anyways? It sounds really noisy." Sophia asked holding the phone away from her ear.

"Oh Luke and I are just in Hyde Park and there's an outdoor concert going on. You should come and join us."

Contemplating the idea, Sophia walked over to the large window and looked out at the beautiful sunny day outside.

"I'll let you know if that's ok. Tom's still asleep, so I'll see what he says." She explained as she looked out over the park on the other side of the road.

"What?? You're with Tom? I thought you'd just gone back to our hotel when I couldn't find you last night. I had no idea you two had even found each other last night at the party. I'm so happy for you babe, I know how much you like him!" Charlotte couldn't hide her surprise as she realised where Sophia had spent the night.

"It's funny, I don't think I realised how much myself until last night but I'm so happy right now, Char." She was beaming,  just then she thought she heard a noise come from the bedroom.

"I'm gonna get going but just wanted to check in.  Our train home is at 5 o'clock so shall I meet you back our hotel?" She asked already dreading the thought of leaving this room and what that would mean.

"I’ll head over there now and check out of the room so I’ll pick up your things. I'm guessing you'll want something other than your dress to wear so we’ll drop by and bring you your clothes. What room number are you in? Oh nevermind, Luke says he knows"  Charlotte giggled.

"Oh yeah, of course! That would be great, see you later." Sophia said and ended the call.

Deciding that whilst she waited for Charlotte and Luke she'd make herself a cup of tea.  Heading over to the kitchenette, it wasn't long before she'd found everything she needed. As the kettle began to boil she didn't hear the bedroom door open.

Standing in the doorway, Tom quietly watched her, not able to take his eyes from her voluptuous silhouette as his shirt clung to her curves in such a suggestive way. He had to hold himself back from wanting her, right there where she stood, but the temptation was all too much.

Quietly walking over and placing his hands on her waist, Tom leaned in at that moment and began kissing her neck. He felt her jump a little in surprise but she went with it, enjoying the moment. Gently pressing himself up against her she knew he was more than ready for her.

"You look so sexy." He whispered in her ear as he gently nuzzled her earlobe. She tried her hardest not to blush but her shyness gave her away as his hands began moving up her body beneath the shirt towards her breasts. Turning around to face him she realised he must have just showered as he was stood with a towel wrapped around his waist. Water droplets were falling sporadically from his damp hair which Sophia found enticing to want to run her hands through.

The temperature in the room was rising between them once again as Tom lifted her on to the worktop of the kitchenette, taking her a little by surprise with a passionate kiss.

"Stay with me." He said between breaths.

"What?" She was shocked by his sudden announcement.

"Don't go home just yet, stay here with me." She could hear the urgency in his voice as he asked again.

"I want to, you know I do, but I have to be in work tomorrow."

He couldn't hide the disappointment in his voice.

"I understand, darling." He kissed her forehead and took a step back.

Confused at his response, Sophia reached out her hand to rest on his cheek.

"Tom? What's wrong?" He didn't respond.

"I'd stay if I could, believe me I would. I want..." She began, but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Looking hesitant, Tom looked at Sophia.

"Maybe you should go into the bedroom." He said in an emotionless tone, not making eye contact her with her as he walked over to the door. Sliding down off the counter, Sophia quickly made her way into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Tom reluctantly opened the door to find Luke & Charlotte standing on the other side.

“H...hi" Charlotte said hesitating.

"Hi, what are you two doing here?" He asked a little too abruptly than was polite.

"Oh,right, erm...I've brought Sophia her bag." Charlotte replied, not quite sure how to respond to the sharpness in his voice.

"She's in the shower just now, so I'll make sure she gets it." Tom reached out a hand to take the case before turning back into the room. As he began to close the door, Charlotte called after him.

"Tom, could you tell her I'll meet her at the train station at 4.45 please?" He looked back and nodded, making eye contact with both Charlotte and Luke.

"Luke, we need to discuss the schedule for the next few days, be back here for 5, please." And without another word he closed the door.

 

"Well, that was odd" Luke said aloud, still staring at the now closed door.

"Oh good, I'm glad it’s not just me thinking something wasn't quite right with that conversation." Charlotte added.

"What could have changed in the last half an hour since I spoke to Sophia?"

"I don't know, but I suggest we give them some space." Luke replied and turned towards the lift.

 

"A shower??" Sophia thought.  Contemplating why he would have made up an excuse. She then decided that maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea before she got dressed into the clothes Charlotte had brought for her.

Slipping off Tom's shirt, she made her way into the bathroom and over to the walk-in shower. The hot water was like a sense of relief on her skin as she let the water flow over her body, closing her eyes to block the world out for a few moments trying to clear her head.

‘What just happened between the two of them out there?’ She thought to herself.

‘One minute he was all over me and then...the cold shoulder treatment. I don't understand what happened.’ She played the scene back over in her mind but was at a loss. Feeling a little embarrassed to face him now, she decided to stay in the shower for a few more minutes before wrapping herself in the spare bath towel folded up on the shelf close by. She ran her fingers quickly through her hair in an attempt to tame it a little before taking a big deep breath and opened the door.

To her disappointment, the room was empty as she walked to the bed where she spotted her small black case waiting for her. Unzipping the lid, she took out fresh underwear followed by the black maxi dress and sandals which she was so pleased to have packed having checked the weather forecast before leaving home yesterday. It wasn't long before she was dressed, her hair dried and her makeup done. Picking up last night’s dress and shoes, she placed them into the case along with her make up bag and zipped it up, making her way to the door.

Feeling a little uneasy, she opened the door and saw Tom was standing looking out of the window whilst he held his mobile phone to his ear talking away in a hushed tone.

"...So we fly out in a few weeks time for the promo at Cannes and then I have some down time, so maybe we could go for dinner?" He stopped abruptly seeing Sophia enter the room.

"Come back to me when you know when you're in town my love, I must dash...sure, ok, ciao!" He ended the call and looked over at Sophia standing awkwardly with her case.

"I think I'm gonna get going, I don't want to be late for the train." She said breaking the ice.

"You don't have to be there for over two hours, why are you rushing off?" He asked walking towards her.

"Well, I...I thought you'd...want me to go," She stumbled over her words as she spoke.

"Because of what happened earlier...I got the impression that I'd done something wrong." She said, not able to look at him as he now stood in front of her. He placed his hand on her cheek taking her by surprise. He tilted her head up until she had no choice but to look straight into his eyes.

“Sophia, my darling, I simply don't want you to go just yet, that's all." He leaned down to kiss her lightly on the lips, making any thought of going anywhere instantly leave her.

"Oh, hmm ok...as long as you're sure." She said happy to be back in his arms.

They spent the rest of the afternoon curled up on the sofa together within the comfort of the suite watching an old black and white movie.

 

When it was finally time for Sophia to leave for her train neither one wanted to say goodbye.

"Can I see you again?" He asked.

"I'd really like that." She smiled, as he leaned down and kissed her, as softly and gently as their very first within the lift. They entered their numbers into the others phones before handing them back to the other.

“I really should go or I'll miss my train." She said, not making any effort to move towards the door.

"I'd come to the station with you, but Luke will be here shortly to go over my work schedule for the next few weeks." He smiled at her warmly, not wanting to let her go.

"Oh that's ok, I can imagine you must have a lot going on. Sorry if I've kept you from anything today." She blushed, looking down at her feet.

"I wouldn't have wanted to spend it any other way, my darling." He kissed her once more, a long lingering kiss.

"I better go." She said finally picking up her case.

"I'll see you soon, beautiful." He called out to her as she closed the door to the suite behind her.

  
Walking out the front entrance of the hotel, Sophia made her way towards the tube station to meet Charlotte, unaware she was being photographed from a nearby car by an awaiting paparazzo.

 

To be continued...

 


	8. Chapter 8

As she sat back in the comfort of her seat, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of her time with Tom. Looking over at a restful looking Charlotte who had fallen asleep in the seat opposite and smiled. The events of the previous evening had left them both a little overwhelmed to say the least.

A couple of hours later, the two friends had made their way to the serenity of their apartment.

"I think a girlie night with a chick flick and a bottle of rosé is in order to celebrate what's left of your birthday." Charlotte announced,  kicking off her shoes in the hallway ahead of Sophia.

"It’s like you can read my mind!" Sophia replied chuckling.

After dinner, Sophia rifled through their DVD collection to choose tonight's movie.

"I'm thinking 'The Devil Wears Prada' or '27 Dresses.' " She called to Charlotte, who was in the kitchen gathering the wine and glasses as her phone buzzed on the worktop. It was a message from Luke.

"The inevitable has happened. Try to keep Sophia away from social media for the next few hours because she's not going to like what is unfolding." The text read. A little confused, Charlotte opened her twitter account to see post after post of responses to a news feature that had been retweeted by a gossip site. Her eyes scanned over the screen as she saw the words ‘Hiddleston and mystery blonde’.

With a sick feeling in her stomach she opened up the article which went into details of how the Marvel star had been seen with a mysterious blonde at last night's Olivier awards who was then photographed leaving the stars’ hotel earlier today. Her eyes then saw a pixilated image of her best friend leaving the hotel.

"Oh no." Charlotte said, aloud unintentionally.

"Are you coming?" Sophia asked, popping her head round the door of the kitchen, making Charlotte jump.

"Oh, ummm, yeah I'll be right there." She stammered,  quickly locking her phone screen and placing it back on to the worktop.

"Everything ok?" Sophia looked at Charlotte concerned at her jumpy actions.

"Oh, yeah, all good. Just Luke messaging, that's all." She said quickly, turning to the fridge and taking out the bottle of Zinfandel that was nicely chilled and ready to be opened.

"Put him down for five minutes and come help me choose a film!" Sophia smiled broadly and bounced off into the lounge.

 

Charlotte picked up her phone and quickly looked through the replies to the twitter link about the article which were unsurprisingly less than pleasant from a lot of Tom's fans. She felt sick seeing all these hurtful comments being aimed towards her friend. Deciding to keep this to herself for the time being she picked up the bottle along with the two wine glasses and followed Sophia in to the other room.

 

Curled up on the sofa watching Sophia's choice of film, 'The Devil Wears Prada' Charlotte looked over at her friend who she could see had a goofy happy look painted across her face as Andi & Christian Thompson stood on a starlit street in Paris sharing a passionate kiss.

‘I can't not tell her about it’ Charlotte thought to herself. In that moment Sophia's text message tone rang out loudly. Picking up her phone instantly to see who had messaged her, Sophia secretly hoping it would be Tom. Charlotte sat quietly, praying it was nothing to do with Luke's earlier warning.

Sophia was very quiet for a moment, reading and rereading the message, not quite believing her eyes. The text was from one of her friends from work who explained she'd been browsing an online gossip site and thought she recognised Sophia in a photo and had sent her a link directly to the article. Seeing images of herself alongside a derogatory story about this mysterious woman who had broken the hearts of ‘Hiddlestoners’ everywhere and was being dubbed a slapper after being seen leaving his hotel the next day!!

"How dare they??" She yelled slamming her phone down on the arm of the chair and walking over to the window in anger, where she stood staring out of the window taking big deep breaths as she held back her tears.

Following her best friend to the window, Charlotte put her arms around Sophia pulling her into a hug.

"I'm sorry, babe." She said softly.

"Did you already know? Why didn't you tell me?" Sophia pulled away as the realisation of what Charlotte had said.

"I wanted to tell you sweetheart, but Luke thought it best..." Charlotte began to explain but was cut off abruptly by Sophia.

"Luke? What's Luke got to do with this?" She snapped.

Charlotte looked sheepish as Sophia quickly came to her own conclusions.

"So he somehow found out and thought it better to tell you than me? Well, that's just great. Thanks for keeping me out of the loop." The tears that had threatened to expose Sophia's anger were now flowing down her cheeks as she quickly turned and stormed out of the lounge and into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Charlotte hesitated, not knowing if to go after her, deciding instead to give her friend some time.

Sophia was so angry, with Luke & Charlotte for choosing to keep this from her, at the photographer who clearly intruded on her privacy and the hateful website for posting malicious stories demonising her without knowing any of the facts.

Sobbing into her pillow, Sophia became tired and soon fell asleep, waking a few hours later in the pitch black room. Looking over to her bedside table she could see her phone was flashing, notifying her of awaiting messages. Ignoring a text message from Charlotte, she opened her facebook account to see over a hundred notifications of people tagging her in photos or messages which could only be concerning one thing.

‘Why is everyone so damn interested who he's seen with, for crying out loud.’ She thought to herself as she saw a link to a new article titled 'Hiddleston denies rumours...' She felt like someone had punched her in the stomach as she saw these words.

Opening the link, the story beneath the headline suggested that ‘Tom's people’ had released a statement denying the rumours as a fabrication of an innocent situation as the actor had left the awards the previous evening and happened to be photographed with the young lady in question and her friend but there was no truth in any such rumours of a relationship.

Sophia felt sick. How could he possibly be denying what had happened between them she thought to herself, clicking off the page to her home screen. Noticing she had three missed calls she opened up the call log to see they were all from Tom. Deciding that she really didn't want to speak to him at the moment, she placed her phone back on to the bedside table and dressed for bed.

Her head was still spinning as she tried to sleep that night, tossing and turning from one bad dream to another until around 3am when she finally gave up. Taking her duvet with her, Sophia made her way into the lounge, where she settled down with the TV remote and began channel flicking. Unsurprisingly, there wasn't a great selection to watch but she did find old reruns of 'Friends' which helped to take her mind off things for a short while at least. At sometime around the fourth episode, she heard Charlotte's bedroom door open and soon saw her best friend standing in the doorway.

"Hey sweetheart, can't sleep?" Charlotte asked hesitantly. Sophia shook her head with a sad look on her face. Holding out the edge of the duvet to Charlotte in an offer to join her on the sofa, Charlotte gladly took the olive branch and joined her. The two friends said nothing of that evening's revelations, instead sitting in silence until they both naturally drifted off to sleep at around 5am.

 

The next morning both girls decided that neither felt up to going to work so they called in sick in favour of a pajama day together watching films.

"I feel so bad not going into work, but I really don't think I could face anyone today." Sophia said, refusing to answer any of the text messages or missed calls on her phone from a variety of people, including Tom who’d been calling every hour.

"Babe, we'll deal with this together, like we always do." Charlotte took her friend's hand and squeezed it gently with a reassuring smile.

"I just can't believe he's denying it, that's what hurts more than anything. After everything we said to each other yesterday, a few hours later he's gone back on everything. I just don't understand what changed." She held back fresh tears which threatened to fall.  

"From what I can gather, sweetheart, I don't think he was given a choice but to deny it from all of the negative responses on Twitter and Facebook." Charlotte saw the look of hurt fall across Sophia's face but decided to continue.

"Luke let slip last night that Tom's management team thought it was for the best as the fans had reacted so badly to seeing the two of you together. They were worried for the upcoming press tours being overrun with a constant barrage of questions about his love life which he's always tried to keep away from the public eye up until now."

Sophia sat quietly for a few moments, taking this all in.

‘Why should anyone else be allowed an opinion on who he does or doesn't see?’ She thought, feeling frustrated.

"Well if that's how it is, then he has no need to keep contacting me." She said finally.

"I don't want to talk about him anymore if that's ok? I need to block out everything from the last couple of days for my own sanity." Charlotte silently nodded before giving her best friend a well needed hug.

"I'm suddenly feeling like some retail therapy is in order." Sophia announced suddenly.

"But we're 'sick' remember?" Charlotte reminded her

"Well yes that is true, but everyone we know will be at work so we're not likely to be seen!" Sophia explained with a big childish smile spreading across her face.

"I'll treat you to lunch." She added. Charlotte laughed throwing her hands up in defeat.

"How can I say no that?!" She exclaimed, beaming at her best friend before they both headed off for a day of shopping.

 

To be continued...


	9. Chapter 9

Two months had passed by since the girls’ trip to London and for Charlotte things couldn't be better. She and Luke were officially an item and made every effort to see each other as often as they could around their busy work schedules.

Sophia had decided not to pursue things with Tom, despite how she felt about him. After the revelations of their night together had been speculated across every form of social media, whilst being denied by him, she decided that wasn’t what she needed in her life and chose never to return his calls.

In the weeks that followed she found herself feeling as though everything had begun to build up in her mind and that she was a little more emotional of late so decided to have a change of scenery. Thanks to her very understanding boss, she decided to have some ‘me’ time and went to visit her father in New Jersey for three weeks of recuperation.

 

Today was the day she was due to arrive back into England and Charlotte couldn’t have been happier at the thought of seeing her best friend. The apartment they shared had seemed so quiet without her but that would all change in a few hours time. Having arranged with work to take the afternoon off, Charlotte headed to Birmingham airport to meet Sophia as a surprise.

Standing at the arrivals gate Charlotte made the most of the airports air-conditioning  in the sweltering June heat as she stood patiently waiting. It wasn’t long before the doors opened and a lightly tanned looking Sophia walked through in a flattering black maxi dress with her extremely large suitcase. Not expecting to be greeted by anyone and in a world of her own, she almost walked straight past Charlotte in a daze.

“Would madam care for a lift home?” Charlotte called out as Sophia walked past her. Looking up, Sophia’s face was a picture.  

“OH MY GOODNESS!! What are you doing here? I thought you’d have been at work!” She squealed in excitement at the sight of her friend who she’d missed so much.

 

Charlotte took Sophia’s suitcase and they walked out to her car before making the short journey home.

During the journey home Sophia let Charlotte tell her all about how well everything had been going between her and Luke. As she was midflow her attention was caught by the DJ announcing the next song which was to be played on the radio station they were listening to.

“I love the Arctic Monkeys! I can’t listen this song enough right now.” Charlotte said excitedly as the opening bars started.

Sophia listened intently to the words of the song,

_‘I dreamt about you almost every night last week, how many secrets can you keep…_

_there’s this tune I’ve found and it makes me think of you somehow, and I play it on repeat, until I fall asleep…’_

 

The male singer crooned as Sophia’s mind naturally drifted to Tom, of how often she’d thought of him whilst she had been away and the sadness that plagued her.   

 

_‘Do I wanna know, If this feeling flows both ways? Sad to see you go, Was sort of hoping that you'd stay, Baby we both know, That the nights were mainly made for saying things that you can't say tomorrow day …’_

 

The voice continued, as though it was saying allowed everything she had been contemplating for the last few weeks. She turned to stare intently out of the car window, not wanting Charlotte to see the tears that were welling-up in her eyes.

 

_‘...Too busy being yours to fall for someone new…’_

 

'How true that is.' She thought to herself, as she continued to think of how much she wasn’t over everything that had happened between the two of them. She sat quietly during the remainder of the short journey home.  

  


Once they were back in the comfort of their apartment Charlotte made them both a cup of tea and they settled down on the sofa to catch up.

“So how was your time away? How’s your dad? I bet he was a little surprised to see you.” Charlotte couldn’t help but bombard Sophia with question after question, having barely heard anything whilst she had been away.

“Yeah dad was surprised but pleased to see me. It’s been three years since my last visit but it was just nice to sit out in the peace and quiet of their tranquil garden, reading book after book with no interruptions or cares, except for one, that is…” Sophia looked at Charlotte who looked very puzzled. Rubbing her hand gently across her stomach, she looked from her friend to her own almost unnoticeable bump which had formed and then back to her friend.

 

“OH MY…..” Charlotte screeched in a mixture of shock and excitement and she realised why Sophia had been wearing such a loose fitting dress which she had thought had been a little out of character for her friend when she’d first seen her at the airport.

 

Sophia gave her a small smile and rubbed her bump in a naturally protective way.

“No one else knows, you’re the first to find out.” She explained as Charlotte pulled her into a big hug.

“How do you feel about it? I’m guessing you’re going to keep it.” She asked inquisitively.

“Now that I’ve had time to think it over, I am happy and yes I am keeping it” She hesitated as a look of confusion passed over Charlotte’s face.

 

“Is it….Tom’s?” She asked hesitantly, knowing he wouldn’t be Sophia’s prefered topic of conversation. Sophia simply nodded and looked down at her hands, desperately trying to not let herself get upset. She’d done a lot of thinking whilst she’d been away, making the decision that she was ready for motherhood and that she could bring up the baby on her own.

 

“You have to tell him.” Charlotte said quietly, not wanting to upset Sophia further.

“I don’t think I can, Char’, I’m still not over what happened but I have to put myself and the baby first now.” She took a mouthful of her tea and closed her eyes, having missed the taste of a real cup of tea.

“So, come on I want all the goss. When’s the baby due? When’s your first scan?” Charlotte decided to change the topic slightly, excited to find out all of Sophia’s news.

  


A week later and the two friends were heading to the hospital for Sophia’s 12 week scan. As they entered the prenatal clinic Sophia felt extremely nervous. For a brief moment she had wondered if she was doing the right thing going it alone without giving Tom the opportunity to be involved, but she pushed the thought to the back of her mind as they went into the examination room.

After the initial blood tests and measurements of her bump, the friendly young nurse asked if Sophia wanted Charlotte to be with her for when they did the scan to which she nodded and soon had her best friend at her side holding her hand.

“I’m going to add the gel around your bump now which is going to feel a little cold at first but it helps us to see and hear the baby and their heartbeat.” The nurse explained. After a moment or two they heard a slight thumping noise, followed by a visual of the tiny infant on the screen. Sophia felt tears streaming down her cheeks as she saw her beautiful “Peanut”, the name she and Charlotte now fondly referred to the baby, as it was too soon to know if it was a boy or girl.

The nurse printed off some of the images showing the baby with its distinctive head, arms and legs.

Walking out of the hospital, Charlotte turned her phone back on and saw she had several missed calls from Luke who had been out of the country with Tom.

She stopped to listen to each of the voicemails he’d left for her in the last hour, each sounding more concerned at her phone being switched off then the previous one. Sophia announced she was in need of the bathroom so popped back into the hospital as Charlotte quickly called Luke back.

“Hey hun, sorry I’ve not had my phone on.” She said as he answered the phone  relieved at the sound of her voice.

“Where are you? I’ve been trying you since I stepped off the plane.” He replied, a little agitation in his tone.

“I’m sorry,” She replied, and without thinking added, “I’m just at the hospital with Sophia.” The words were out of her mouth before she even thought about what she was saying and hearing Luke’s gasp she knew she’d dropped herself in it.

“Why are you at the hospital babe? What’s wrong? Are you ok? Is Sophia ok?” She could hear the panic in his voice, only to be made worse by hearing a familiar voice in the background also sounding concerned, asking why the two of them were at the hospital, it was Tom. Her heart sank as she desperately tried to think of a good excuse as to why they would be at the hospital in the middle of the day but it didn’t fool anyone. Not wanting to break Sophia’s trust, she simply said that it was something she couldn’t explain right now but they were both ok. For the time being, Luke was satisfied with her answer but she knew he’d press her for a full explanation later on.

He told her that he had a rare weekend off coming up next week and wanted to spend it together if she was free. They agreed to talk later that evening once she’d been back to work and cleared the time off with her boss.    

 

Sophia joined her shortly after she’d hung up from Luke looking a little worse for wear thanks to the tail end of the morning sickness she’d been suffering terribly with.

“I’ve just had a call from Luke, he’s finally got a day off next Saturday so he’s invited me down to spend the day with him in London.”

“That’s great news, I know you’ve not seen him much with being so busy with...work.” She hesitated over the last word, not wanting to mention Tom.

“There is one small thing. When he first answered the call he asked where I was and without thinking I said you and I were at the hospital. I told him everything was ok but I couldn’t talk about it right then.” Charlotte looked at Sophia to see if she was angry with her.

“It’s ok, he was going to find out sooner or later when he comes to visit. I’m not going to be able to hide it forever.” Sophia smiled reassuringly.

“Tom was in the background at the time and heard Luke say we were at the hospital so he might start asking questions. Don’t you think that maybe you should tell him, now you know the baby is healthy and you have a due date?” Charlotte knew she was stepping on thin ice but didn’t feel it was right that he didn’t at least know he was going to be a father.

Sophia was quiet for a few moments as they strolled through the busy city centre, back towards their office blocks before finally holding her hands up in agreement.

That evening, during their earlier arranged phone call, Charlotte asked Luke if he knew of Tom’s plans for the following Saturday, explaining that Sophia had decided that she’d like to see him if possible to talk things through. He sent a quick message whilst still on the phone to Charlotte to ask of Tom’s plans, instantly receiving a response that he had no plans at all. Explaining the reason for his question, Tom had asked Luke to send Sophia his private address so that they could talk without the possibility of any waiting photographers.

 

 

The week flew by and before they knew it Sophia and Charlotte were boarding a train to London. Enjoying the hospitality of the first class carriage, the two friends laughed and joked trying their best to take Sophia’s mind off what was to come later that day. Their journey passed by quickly and soon they were pulling into the familiar looking Euston station.    

 

“Our train back isn’t until 5 o’clock so you have plenty of time to talk things through but just give me a call if you need me.” Charlotte gave Sophia a reassuring hug before heading over to Luke who was waiting for her close to the exit.

Sophia nervously made her way towards the escalator at the front of the station, taking her down to the underground. She paid for her ticket and headed for the Northern Line going south towards Embankment before changing trains to Westminster.  

 

The journey had left her feeling tired from the extra weight she was carrying but trying to put that out of her mind, she left the tube station on foot. She felt the rays of the sun beaming down as she made her way towards Tom’s home. Her loose fitting pale pink camisole with its thin spaghetti straps kept her cool as she walked in the gentle breeze that was flowing from the river.  Following the directions Luke had given her, it wasn’t long before she came to the address. The traditional town house was tucked away in a quiet street which overlooked a quaint garden. As she made her way along the road, Sophia heard shrieks of laughter. She could just make out through the hedges that lined the garden, a group of children playing. She smiled to herself as she gently rubbed her subtle baby bump as she thought of her own son or daughter one day playing just like those children.

 

Taking a deep breath, she walked up to the black front door and hesitantly rang the doorbell. A few moments later she heard the sound of a key in the lock turning and the door swung slowly open.

 

To be confirmed...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***The song playing in the car that Sophia and Charlotte are listening to is called "Do I wanna know" by the Arctic Monkeys - have a watch of this fan made video to why I fell in love with this incredible song! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJwP80aC_HI&index=4&list=PL5YnlIxBpbY36Ck9UEy2YyiU9RHHmN8Mc


	10. Chapter 10

Standing in the doorway, casually dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a white shirt, of which the top two buttons had been casually left undone, was Tom. Sophia couldn’t help but feel her heartbeat quicken at the sight of him.

‘He still looks as handsome as I remember.’ she thought to herself, as he smiled down at her standing on the doorstep. After a moment she came to her senses.

”Hello.” She said simply

“Hello...It’s so wonderful to see you Sophia. Please come in.” He gestured for her to enter as he turned to let her past. She smiled back at him and stepped into the hallway.

 

He led her into an open plan lounge which boasted a large bay window at one end and French windows at the other bathing the whole room in light. As she looked around the room there were beautiful pieces of art on the walls along with photographs of family and friends from days gone past. It brought a lump to her throat as she thought about how what she was about to tell him would change his life forever.

“So, how have you been?” He asked, making her jump a little as he walked into the room behind her.

“I’ve been ok thank you, how about you?” She replied, not quite ready to spill all to him just yet.

“I’ve been really busy with work. I was out of the country until last week on a promotional tour in the States, although I’m sure you probably know all about that thanks to Charlotte and Luke.” She gave him a small nod, remembering the long telephone calls between the two of them whilst Luke had been away.

 

Noticing how nervous she looked, Tom decided to change the subject, hoping to make her feel a little more comfortable.  

“Can I get you anything to drink? Tea? Coffee?”                  

“Just a glass of water would be great, thanks.” Sophia replied giving him a small smile.

As he left the room she walked to the French windows, staring out onto a small garden. After a few moments she felt Tom’s presence in the room behind her as he came to join her at her side, handing her the glass of water.

“Thank you.” She said kindly, taking the glass. She continued to stare out of the window for a moment before turning to Tom, to see him staring at her fixedly.

“Sophia, Is everything ok? You seem lost in thought.” He asked kindly, concerned that she seemed to have the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“I’m sorry.” She looked down at the glass in her hand, unable to look up at him she continued.

“There’s something we need to talk about but I don’t quite know where to start…” Trailing off her sentence into almost a whisper, she couldn’t bring herself to come out and tell him without at least some warning.

“Why don’t we sit and talk about what happened and we can take it from there?” Tom’s kind and gentle voice calmed her instantly. Taking her hand, they walked over to the soft couch and sat down.

“Sophia, I owe you an apology,” He said firstly.

“I never meant to hurt you and I feel terrible about how everything was handled after you left the hotel that day. I thought I was doing the right thing by not telling you straight away about the story being run and had hoped to spare you any upset. I know now that backfired in a big way and I’m sorry.” He squeezed her hand tightly as she stared down at their still intertwined hands desperately hoping he wouldn’t notice her blushing.

“My management team thought it best to instantly deny the rumours rather than speaking to me first, automatically thinking that they were false. By the time they had released the statement to the press there wasn’t anything I could do to retract it, which was when I tried to call you, but I understand why you didn’t want to talk to me at the time.” His voice was calm as he explained all that had taken place that day, making her wish she’d just given him the chance to explain at the time. It would certainly have made the conversation she was about to drop on him a whole lot easier, she thought.

 

“So you’re saying you wouldn’t have denied it had they have asked you?” This thought had somewhat taken her by surprise.

“I don’t honestly know, but having that decision taken out of my hands was frustrating. After the time we’d spent together I didn’t want you to think it had meant nothing to me.” He gently raised her hand up to his lips and softly kissed the back of her hand.

“I really like you Sophia and I’d like us to see each other again and spend some time together.” These words were like music to her ears. The last thing she wanted was for him to be with her just because of the baby, but from this it sounded like he wanted her after all.

 

Plucking up the courage she decided now was the right time to tell him.

“I really like you too and I’d like us to get to know each other better but there is something else…” She began, taking a deep breath as he looked at her with concern written all over his face, not letting go of her hand.

“Tom, there’s something else you need to consider before making that decision. It’s not just about the two of us anymore...there are three of us involved in this now.” He looked at her confused for a moment until a look of shock washed across his face.

“Are you..?” He began, but couldn’t finish his sentence, his eyes bulging out of their sockets and his mouth wide open.

“Pregnant? Yeah.” She said as tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn’t bear to look at him, the fear of rejection was something she couldn’t bear, for what would feel like the second time from this man. The same man she’d not so long ago had a crush on from afar, now sat here telling him he was the father of her unborn child.

 

There was silence between them for a moment as Tom took in this news. Running his hands through his hair, as he contemplated all that this would mean. How would this effect both of them in the long run? Could they bring up a child together when they barely knew one another? As a million and one questions ran through his mind his thoughts were no longer just about how he felt for Sophia...he had to be there for them both now.  

Finally, he took both her hands in to his grasp before reaching up to rest one hand on her cheek. Tenderly lifting her chin so that her eyes met with his, he smiled a warm beaming smile.

“I can’t say I’m not shocked, it’s a lot to take on board but it certainly is wonderful news sweetheart..” He gently stroked her cheek with the palm of his hand as he leaned in and kissed her. A reassuring kiss, that told her they were in this together, no matter what.

In that moment she felt as though her prayers had been answered. Knowing he was going to be there with her through this life changing experience filled her with confidence.

“I’m so glad you think so. I’ve been so worried about telling you incase you rejected us.” She said shyly. It sounded strange talking about herself as a multiple which was just what she was now, her and the baby.  

“Darling, I couldn’t possibly do that. Even if it didn’t work out between the two of us then I’d still be there for you both. I’m glad you told me, I just wish it’d been sooner.” He smiled at her warmly as he kissed her again.

“Would you like to see the scan pictures?” She asked. His face lit up, instantly radiating his honest happiness to her. She leant down to her handbag and took out the three black and white pictures of their baby for him to see.   

“Oh my... that’s incredible. When do we find out if its a boy or a girl?” He asked inquisitively. She smiled to herself as he said “we” for the first time.

‘We’re in this together now.’ She thought to herself still smiling broadly.

“They should be able to tell at the next scan once Peanut has developed further, which will be in another 6 weeks or so which is also when there are more tests to undergo to make sure the baby is healthy.” She explained as he looked confused.

“Peanut? You’ve named the baby Peanut?” He stifled a laugh as he said it aloud.

“Well, at the moment the baby is the same size as a peanut so it seemed a nicer alternative to saying ‘it’, although Charlotte is the only other person that knows at the moment. Thankfully, I don’t have an obvious bump just yet for anyone else to notice.” She lightly rested her hand on her tiny bump.

“Can I?” Tom asked, gesturing to do the same with his own hand. She smiled, taking his hand in hers and placed it on her slightly swollen belly.

“At the moment the baby is too small to feel any movement but another few months he or she will apparently be kicking away day and night.” She relaxed as he held his hand over the bump, enjoying the moment of inadvertently meeting his child for the first time.

 

“There are things we are going to need to talk about and make arrangements for fairly soon.” He said softly.

“We need to look into arranging for you to move down here so I can be close to the two of you…” He began, but was soon cut off mid-sentence by Sophia.

“I don’t think that’s going to be an option. I still have work to go to...it’s not as though I could commute up there every day. That would be worse than the current situation, not to mention more expensive for me living on my own. At least in Birmingham I have Charlotte to share the rent with.” She explained matter-of-factly.

“So why not ask your work for a transfer down here and come and move in with me?” Tom didn’t blink as he pitched his suggestion.

“That way I can look after you and you can still work up until you’re ready to take a break.” He seemed to have an answer for every possibility.

 

“I haven’t mentioned anything to my boss yet, but it’s something I can talk to them about. However, I don’t think you want a practical stranger living with you after only the second time of meeting.” She pointed out, feeling a little bit awkward.

“Nonsense, you’re the mother of my child and I want you to be here. I want the chance to be there for you both and for us to try and make a go of things together. We can still try and have dates and things like that, it’s a little unconventional, I’ll grant you, but we can make it work.” He smiled at her kindly, hoping she would realise how much he wanted her to stay here with him.     

“I think it’s something we can talk about some more, at least.” She replied, smiling at him reassuringly.

“We should maybe think about getting you some private health care too. That way you can be seen as and when you need and we can be sure no details will be leaked to the press, which is something else which is going to tricky to manage. We need to talk to my management team and Luke about all of my future public engagements along with replanning my schedule up until the baby is born, at least.” He began to consider just some of the obstacles they were likely to come up against.      

 

Stopping to take a moment to notice the exhausted look on Sophia’s face, Tom blinked for a long second before giving her a warm smile.

“I’m sorry my darling, my mind is racing ahead with all the excitement. You must still be pretty overwhelmed by it yourself.” Sophia gave him a strained smile and nodded.

“It’s been a lot to get my head around. I didn’t see myself being in this position at 29 years old, if I’m honest. I had always assumed I would be happily married when it finally happened.” She took a big deep breath before she continued.

“I thought I could do this alone but...” She said through silent sobs as the tears flowed down her cheeks.

“You’re not alone any more, my darling.” Taking her into his arms, Tom held her tightly, letting her cry away her fears.

 

To be continued...

 


	11. Chapter 11

A while later, curled up on the sofa watching a movie together, Sophia felt contented as she nuzzled her head on Tom’s shoulder. Tilting her head upwards, she stared into his handsome face and smiled a sleepy smile.  He looked down at her as he softly stroked her hair from the edge of her face, gently brushing his fingertips along her cheek as she gradually drifted off into a relaxed slumber, thinking of how it felt as though no time had passed since the two of them had last been together, and yet so much had happened.

 

Whilst she slept, Tom wasted no time at all in contacting his manager and Luke to advise them that he wanted a meeting to discuss an urgent matter first thing on Monday morning. As he sat in his office, he poured over his working schedule for the next few months, trying to see where he could remain at home and close to Sophia.

His hopes to stay close by for as much of their pregnancy as he could looked promising but from the documents laid out before him, he knew it wasn’t going to be easy to convince his management team.  

If he couldn’t be here with her and he couldn’t ask her to travel around with him either in her condition, he contemplated his options. There was the hope of his nearest and dearest, and if they would help take care of her in his absence.  

Picking up his phone, he scrolled through the phone book until he came to the name of the person he was closest to and pressed the ‘call’ button. Answering within a few rings the gentle voice answered with joy at a call from her beloved son.

“Hi Mum…”  He replied as he began pacing around the room, a little nervous of what he was about to do.

 

 

Walking back through into the now dimly lit lounge, he saw that Sophia was still asleep on the sofa. He quietly made his way over to the bay window and looked out. The quiet street was now bathed in the late afternoon light as the sun was beginning to set over the city. Not wanting to risk waking her, Tom wandered into the kitchen and began picking out ingredients to cook her a meal for when she woke.

 

The silence of the room was broken by the sound of Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky” as it rang out from inside Sophia’s handbag. Waking her with a start, she stood up a little too quickly, forgetting her current situation and became quite dizzy. The song rang out and echoed along the corridor where Tom heard it before flying in to the room to see a worse for wear Sophia with her head in her hands on the edge of the sofa.

“Are you ok, sweetheart? What’s wrong?” He asked concerned, kneeling down next to her, taking her hands in his.

She nodded slowly, her eyes remaining closed for a moment before she turned and looked into his.

“I heard my phone ring so I tried to get up a little more spritely than I can comfortably manage and felt dizzy. I’m ok though, I just need to remember I can’t move quite as quickly as I usually can and I’ll be fine.” She gave him a small smile before attempting to stand up again. Seeing that she was aiming for her handbag, Tom lent across, picked it up and placed it on the seat next to her.

“You need to look after yourself, my darling or I’ll have you move in here today.” He smiled at her, knowing this would be enough to convince her to slow down whilst rather hoping she would take him up on his offer.

“Thank you.” She replied placing her hand on top of his. They sat for a moment staring into each other's eyes before her phone began to ring again.

“Sorry, I better get this.” She said digging into her bag to retrieve her phone. Looking at the screen she had a missed call from Charlotte, as well as an incoming call. She panicked as she accepted the call.  

“Char, hi, is everything ok?” Sophia asked concerned.

“Yes, but where are you? The train leaves in 10 minutes!” Her voice was fraught on the other end of the line.

“10 minutes? Oh no, I’ll never make it now. I fell asleep and only woke when you called a moment ago.” She mentally beat herself up for having fell asleep so easily and not being conscious of the time.

“Are you ok though sweetheart, you don’t sound so great?” Charlotte asked concerned.

“I’m not feeling too good to be honest, so I’ll see how I feel later and either get a train in a few hours time or I’ll check into a hotel for the night.” Upon hearing this, there were instant protests from Tom.

“You’re not staying in a hotel...I’ve told you, this is your home too!”

“It sounds as though you two are ok then if he’s offering for you to say there.” Charlotte replied, just making out Tom’s voice in the background         

                           

“Things are fine thank you hun. We’ll talk more when I get home, probably tomorrow sometime.” Sophia and Charlotte soon said their goodbyes. Hanging up and placing her phone back into her bag, Sophia saw Tom was smiling broadly at her.

Wondering what could have brought this Cheshire cat type happiness to his face made her curious.

“You seem particularly pleased about something, care to divulge?” She asked quizzically.

“Just that you’re here...and that we have the evening together.” He hesitated.

“There is one thing though...we won’t be alone... my mother is coming over for dinner.” He said looking a little sheepish.

“I thought it might be a good time for the two of you to meet.” He added.

“Oh, right...ok, well I guess it was going to happen sometime. I’m a little nervous she won’t like me.” Sophia looked down at her lap, unable to keep eye contact with him.

“She won’t like you...she’ll love you.” He smiled that wicked grin, making her instantly smile back at him.

“Have you told her already? About the baby, I mean.” She asked, a little unsure how his mother will take the news of her only son having a child with someone he barely knows.

“Not yet, I just asked her over so that she could get to know you a little. I thought that maybe in a few weeks time once we’ve had time to talk things through some more, we can tell our families about our expected arrival.” He placed his hand on to her tiny bump once again and smiled to himself.  

 

 

To be continued...


	12. Chapter 12

They spent the next couple of hours getting to know more about each other's past, their likes and dislikes as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. Sophia joined Tom in the kitchen to prepare dinner until it was almost ready as they continued to talk.

“So what do you like to do when you’re not working?” She asked as she began to lay out the cutlery on the black glass topped dining table.

“I don’t get a great deal of down time but I do love to read as much as possible.  I love going to the theatre, watching and playing a little tennis, listening to a wide selection of music and whenever I can, see my wonderful family who mean so very much to me.” He smiled a goofy happy smile at that last thought. How they would all be so surprised at this unexpected news they were soon to learn.

“That must be tough being away so much, you must really miss them.” Sophia replied as she walked back over to him as he stood stirring the sauce. Placing the wooden spoon on the worktop, he stretched his arms out to wrap them around her waist, pulling her close to him.

“I don’t know how it’s possible, but you look even more beautiful than you did the night we met.” He kissed her lovingly as he pulled her closer still, not wanting to ever let her go again. Their second kiss was a little more passionate than the first, as they soon felt their desire for one another beginning once again, as it had on that night. Breaking their kiss, she smiled sweetly as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“You know, it’s a shame your mum is on her way because we could have continued this upstairs…” She said to him seductively giving him a cheeky smile.

“But...What about the baby? Wouldn’t it...hurt it?” He asked, a little surprised by her suggestion.

“Oh no, the baby wouldn’t feel anything at all, according to the midwife.” She leaned in and softly kissed his neck, which he couldn’t help but release a deep moan of pleasure as she left a trail of kisses up and down his neck.

Just then the doorbell rang out along the hallway. Instantly opening his eyes, Tom looked at Sophia who smiled alluringly.

“I guess that’s your mum.” She said, looking in the direction of the hallway.

“Umm, yeah…” He replied, a little distracted as he released his arms from around her.

“Until later, in that case, my love” He grinned, giving her a small slap on her behind as he left the room.

 

A few moments later Sophia heard the front door open and both their voices as the footsteps made their way along the hallway. She turned towards the hob and began stirring the sauce, feeling her nerves getting the better of her as she heard Tom walk back into the kitchen. Turning to look towards the doorway she locked eyes with Tom to see him step aside as he spoke to a very well dressed middle aged woman, who there was no doubt about was his mum.

The two of them shared so many facial similarities including their piercing blue-green eyes.

“Mum, I’d like you to meet Sophia, Sophia this is my mother.” Tom announced, introducing the two of them.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Mrs Hiddleston.” Sophia beamed, stepping closer to offer her hand for her to shake

“Oh my dear, please call me Diana.” She smiled affectionately at this beautiful young lady who she couldn’t help but notice how very at home she seemed to be in her son’s kitchen. Taking Sophia’s hand, Diana lent forward and kissed her on her right cheek, followed by the left before stepping back to take a good look at this young woman.

“You’re a very pretty young lady, Sophia” She complimented as her eyes briefly looked over her figure before turning to look at Tom.

“Dinner’s almost ready, would you like a glass of wine?” He asked Diana.

“That sounds wonderful, darling” She smiled. Tom had a couple of bottles already chilling in the fridge, which he soon had one opened and poured his mother a glass. Handing the wine to her, he then poured a second glass before realising that Sophia wouldn’t be able to drink and so pulled out a carton of orange juice from the fridge.

“Are you not joining us in a glass, Sophia?” Diana asked questioningly upon seeing Tom hand the glass of juice to Sophia.

“Oh no, I actually don’t drink.” She replied, trying desperately to keep her cool and not be too obvious that she wasn’t being entirely truthful.

Tom beckoned for his mum and Sophia to take a seat at the table whilst he served dinner.

The meal looked beautiful Sophia thought, mentally noting his attributes in the kitchen for the future.

“So how long are you in London for?” Diana asked, looking across the table to Sophia.

“Just for the weekend at the moment, but I’m considering moving down here very soon.” She replied, seeing Tom smile as he heard the latter part of the conversation.

“Oh I see, and what do you do for work?” The questions continued like the Spanish Inquisition.                            

“I’m currently working for a local radio station in Birmingham in PR and Sales.” Sophia replied, looking over at Tom, hoping that he was close to serving the meal and to join the conversation.

“What about yourself, Diana? What do you do?” She asked wanting to take an interest in Tom’s mum.

“I’m an arts consultant on a freelance basis. I also direct theatre productions from time to time as well, which is where Thomas here found his love for acting.” She smiled at Tom as he placed a dinner plate down in front of her before placing has hands on his mum's shoulders.

“She was my inspiration when I was growing up, and supported and guided me after I left university and joined RADA.” He announced.

“I’m very proud of everything he has accomplished in his life, he is a wonderful son and a fine actor, who is committed to his career.” She placed a hand on Tom’s before releasing him to bring over his and Sophia’s meals. They made polite conversation during dinner, about Tom’s siblings Emma and Sarah along with Diana telling a few embarrassing stories from Tom’s childhood. At the end of the meal they made their way through into the lounge where Sophia made her excuses so as to visit the bathroom.

 

Making her way up the stairs she soon found the bathroom and was relieved to have a few moments to herself. Tonight had been a little intense to say the least, had she have not known any better she’d say the hard line of questioning from Diana was a little more than just inquisitive about her son’s new female friend.    

As she stepped out on to the landing she could hear their voices as they carried up the staircase to where she stood. She was about to make her way down the stairs when she heard Tom say,

“You’re right mum, we haven’t known each other long, but I really care about her and regardless of whether or not there was a baby I would still choose to want to be with her.”

‘So she knew about the baby.’ Sophia contemplated this thought for a moment. She must have been able to see some sign that anyone who hadn’t had a child themselves would miss and with that along with being on orange juice all night she must have questioned him the moment Sophia left the room.  

Sophia could tell from Diana’s tone that she wasn’t overly happy. She told Tom that they would all support him in his decision but to consider all of his options. Tom did not take kindly to the undertone of what his mother was saying.

“I’ve made my decision and I want to support them both, not just financially but as a family. I’m falling in love with her, mother, and I’m happy about the baby. I know it’s come at a time when my career is taking off but I won’t sacrifice my happiness for it. There must be a way of having both, plenty of other people do it.” Upon hearing this she felt sure that everything was going to work out just fine for them.

Her heart was pounding at the thought of hearing him say he was falling for her, something he hadn’t yet revealed to her himself.

She took to the stairs to rejoin them and to help Tom in convincing his mother that this was a positive thing to have happened to them both.

 

As she walked back into the lounge Tom and Diana cut dead their conversation.

“It’s ok Diana, I know that you have figured out what we are still getting our heads around, but I can assure you that this baby is going to be loved by both its parents every day of its life. We may not have had a conventional dating period before this unexpected arrival, but all we can do is look forward and take one day at a time.” Sophia smiled as Tom walked over to her, placing an arm around her shoulders as she spoke.

“I’m sure I’m not the type of girl you envisaged your son would end up with, but I care about him a great deal and whatever you might think of me, this is your grandchild and we both want you to be apart of his or hers life” Squeezing her shoulders for reassurement, Sophia took a big deep breath. Seeing that she was looking tired, Tom led her over to the sofa to sit down.

“Are you ok? Can I get you anything?” He asked, concerned at the lack of colour in her cheeks.

“No, I’m fine honestly, I’m just feeling a little tired that’s all.” She replied.

Up until now Diana had remained silent, giving Sophia the opportunity to speak but now she felt she had to say her piece.

“My concern is purely out of love for my son, which I’m sure you understand. This has come out of the blue and will take some getting used to, but if this is your decision then I am here for both of you through this in any way I can, as will your father I have no doubt, along with your sisters.” Tom stood up and embraced his mother, grateful for her understanding and kindness in what were less than ideal circumstances.

“Thank you.” He whispered as they hugged before he held out his hand for Sophia to join them. Diana held out her arms to Sophia and hugged her before stepping back to look at them both. She could see something between them, even now in these early days that this would all work out.

‘Mother’s intuition’ she thought as she then hugged Tom once again before saying her goodbyes.

 

Once she’d left, Tom joined Sophia in the lounge and pulled her into a tight and reassuring embrace.

“Thank you, I know that wasn’t easy tonight but it’ll all be easier now my mum knows.” He said quietly.

“Did she say how she knew?” Sophia asked.

“When she first walked into the kitchen at the start of the night, apparently you have the baby glow about you which was a dead giveaway to a mother with three of her own.”

They stood and hugged for a brief moment before making their way up to the bedroom where they rekindled their relationship in a passionate and gentle night of lovemaking.

 

To be continued...   


	13. Chapter 13

The following week they arranged a flying visit to Sophia’s mum and Stepdad Steve to break the news of their first grandchild’s expected arrival.

 

Arriving into Manchester Piccadilly station early on the Sunday morning after an effortless journey by train, they headed out to hail down a cab to take them the nine miles or so to where her mum lived in Altrincham.

It wasn’t long before they had pulled up outside the detached house with its winding driveway and electric gates. Walking up to the security panel she pressed the intercom button and waited. After a moment she heard a familiar voice on the other end.

“Mum, it’s SJ.” Tom looked quizzically at Sophia.

They stood hand in hand waiting for the gate to open.  

“I’m intrigued, what does the ‘J’ stand for?” He asked.

“Jane, ” She replied with a look of annoyance.

“My dad named me Sophia and mum chose Jane for my middle name after my grandmother but I’ve been known as SJ since I was very small.”  

 

Finally the gate came to life and began to swing inwards, allowing them to walk up to the house.

“Is this your family home where you grew up?” Tom asked looking up at the impressive sized house.

“Yeah pretty much. I was five when mum and Steve got together and lived here until I moved away to university when I was eighteen.” She explained, as they approached the house.

Sophia’s mum opened the front door and looked in disbelief as she saw her daughter for the first time in months, accompanied by an extremely handsome young man.  

“OH MY GOODNESS! Sophia, sweetheart” Her mum beamed as she came out on to the driveway to greet her only child. She threw her arms around Sophia, hugging her tightly.    

“Mum, I can’t breathe!” Sophia announced in a wheeze.

“Sorry darling, it’s just been so long since you’ve been to visit, ” She beamed

“Oh my goodness!!” She cried again as she looked from her daughter’s smiling face to her delicate baby bump.

“I can’t believe it!! Why didn’t you tell me? How many months are you?” Her mum bombarded her with questions.  

“I’m sorry mum, I didn’t want to tell you over the phone which is why we’ve come up to see you both.” Sophia replied.

“I’ll tell you all about it once we’re inside.” She added giving her mum another hug.

After a moment Sophia’s mum had regained her senses and looked to Tom who was stood at  Sophia’s side.  

“And who’s your friend, SJ?” Her mum asked, looking at Tom quizzically. Sophia blushed, momentarily forgetting about Tom as he stood quietly next to her.   

“Mum, this is Tom,” she hesitated, turning to look at him as he lightly squeezed her hand in reassurance.

“Tom, this is my mum, Kate.” Tom held out his hand to shake hands with Kate who willingly accepted.

“It’s pleasure to meet you Kate, Sophia has told me a lot about you. She did however forget to mention how you look as though you could be sisters.” Tom’s charm worked a treat on Sophia’s mum, who was instantly gushing at this well mannered young man her daughter had brought home with her.

“Shall we go inside mum?” Sophia asked seeing her mum was staring strangely at Tom.

“Oh, yes, of course.” Kate stammered before turning back towards the house. Sophia looked at Tom and rolled her eyes.

“Charm overload, Mr!” Sophia laughed and led him into the house.

 

Once inside, Sophia introduced Tom and Steve who soon found they shared a common love for tennis which gave Sophia chance to slip away and talk with her mum.

“SJ darling, I don’t even know where to begin...who is this new man in your life? His face seems strangely familiar. And a baby? How am I only just finding out about all of this?” The barrage of questions had began the moment the kitchen door was closed.  

“I’m sorry mum, it’s all just been so much to take on board,” She began to explain.

“I’m three months gone and expecting in January. Tom and I met three months ago when Charlotte and I went to London for my birthday. Tom’s an actor and he was there with his publicist Luke, who happens to be Charlotte’s best friend from childhood. We were introduced to Tom and I found myself spending the evening with him so Charlotte and Luke could catch up on old times, and he’s so wonderful mum.” Sophia could see the concern in her mother’s pale blue eyes as she mulled over the information.

“I know it’s a whirlwind, but I really care about him mum and I know he feels the same way. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but Tom’s only just found out himself so it wasn’t right for me to share it with anyone else until he knew at least.” She explained.

“So, if you’re three months already, why has he only just found out?” Kate asked confused.

“It’s complicated mum, but rest assured he’s going to be there for me and the baby and we are going to make it work.” Sophia smiled at her mum, hoping she’d realise how truly happy she was.

“Then that's all that matters sweetheart. Steve and I are here whenever you need us, you just let me know if there’s anything you need.” Her mum swept her into a hug, holding her precious daughter close.

“So January then, there’s lots to plan in the next few months then if there’s to be a wedding and a new baby…” Kate began rubbing her hands together at the thought of spending more time with her daughter.

“Oh no mum, there isn’t going to be a wedding. We’ve not even discussed it.” It was now Sophia’s turn to look shocked.

“...But you’re having a baby together, surely you’re not going to have it out of wedlock?” Sophia could see the concern riveting across her mum’s facial expression.               

“The baby is the most important thing now mum, I know ideally I’d want to be traditional and be married before I have a baby but that’s not going to happen now.” She felt her happiness shrink away as she thought about having to put her own virtues aside just as the door opened. Steve stood in the doorway looking concerned,

“Is everything OK in here? I thought I heard raised voices?” He looked from his wife to Sophia, trying to figure out what they could be arguing about.

“Everything’s fine, just a difference of opinion that’s all.” Kate explained brushing off her argument with her daughter. Sophia on the other hand was having none of it.

“Actually, there is an issue but right now I need some fresh air before I say something I’ll regret.” She stormed out of the kitchen, into the lounge and into Tom’s awaiting arms.

“Sweetheart, is everything ok?” He stroked her head softly as she squeezed him tightly.

“Not really, just my mum being less than understanding over some things that's all,” Finally letting go of him she added:

“Let's go for a walk, I could use some fresh air.”

Heading towards the patio doors at the far end of the lounge, Tom could see the garden stretched a considerable way from the house which then backed on to open fields as far as the eye could see.

At the end of the garden there was a small hand gate leading into a field where he could make out a group of horses at the far side close to the paddocks.

“This all belongs to mum and Steve.” Sophia explained as they began to take a slow walk hand in hand through the field in the warm summer sunshine.

“Can you ride?” He asked looking over to the horses, seeing one in particular had spotted them making their way closer and came trotting over.

“I could when I was younger, I haven’t competed in years though.” She smiled seeing the chestnut mare making her way towards them.

“And this beauty is Savannah, she has been my horse since she was a foal.” Sophia beamed as the horse came straight up to her, nuzzling her face with its nose.

“Hello my darling, ohh I’ve missed you too!” She said affectionately, rubbing the top of Savannah’s head between her ears and down her long nose. Sophia felt instantly calmer by being back with her oldest friend.

“I spent hours riding Savannah as a teenager...in all sorts of competitions and gymkhanas. My mum was one of those pushy mums. We spent hours and hours travelling all over the country so that I could compete. It meant we weren’t at home much, which left Steve home alone a lot,” Sophia explained.

“They went through a rough time for a while, it looked like they weren’t far from divorce because of my mum’s determination to push her me harder and harder, even after I tried to quit. That was, until my accident,” She hesitated but decided to continue so that he could learn as much about her as possible.

“Savannah and I mis-timed a jump and I fell. It left me in hospital for several months with head multiple injuries, a broken arm and a fractured pelvis. I had a lot of physio to help me to walk again.”  Tom looked at Sophia in shock. He couldn’t believe what she’d been through and yet was stood in front of him as though nothing had happened.

“Oh you poor thing, how old were you?” He asked curiously.              

“I was 16 years old. I had almost a year of homeschooling while I recovered but I thank my lucky stars because it could have been so much worse.” She smiled as she and Tom walked across the field with Savannah in tow.

“So your mum’s not taking the news about the baby too well I take it?” Tom asked after a few moments.

“Surprisingly, she was OK about the baby, it was more that the baby was going to born out of wedlock that she disapproved of.” Sophia ran her hand along Savannah’s long body as they walked slowly towards the stables. After a long moment, having pondered on quite the right words to say, Tom stopped and turned to Sophia who was taken a little by surprise at his sudden pause.

“Is it something that bothers you? Because it’s something I’ve thought about a lot…” He began, not quite sure this was where he’d had in mind to finally have this conversation that had been long overdue since she’d first told him about the baby. At that moment he saw Sophia’s face scrunch up in pain and in slow motion she wrapped her arms protectively around her bump. She screamed in agony as the pain ripped through her swollen belly, causing her to buckle to her knees on the hard ground. Falling to the floor with her, Tom pleaded with her to tell him what was happening so that he could in someway try to ease her pain.

“Please, get my mum!” She begged, as the pain seared uncontrollably. Not wanting to leave her alone, he hesitated before she grabbed his hand tightly.

“Please Tom, I need her!” She had tears streaming down her pale cheeks as she managed to dislodge her mobile phone from her back pocket and handed it to him.      

 Bringing up the recent call log on the screen he quickly selected “mum” and placed the phone to his ear as it began to ring whilst not taking his eyes from Sopha.  

 

“SJ darling, please come back I want us to talk…” Kate began the moment she answered the phone but Tom quickly interrupted her.   

“Kate, it’s Tom. Sophia’s collapsed in the field behind the house, I think it’s the baby.”  

 

To be continued...


	14. Chapter 14

It wasn’t long before the paramedics had arrived and they were on their way to the local hospital. Tom was beside himself, holding Sophia’s hand tightly as she lay still, on the stretcher in the back of the ambulance. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around her bump, protecting Peanut the only way she knew how.

The journey to the hospital felt like a lifetime as they made their way through the traffic but in no time at all they had arrived and were met at the entrance by two nurses who helped transfer Sophia into a wheelchair, wheeling her through the maze of corridors with Tom and her mum at her side.  

“I can’t have it yet, it’s too soon.” Sophia sobbed as she saw the signs for the maternity ward up ahead.

“Everything’s ok, Sophia, it’s just so you can both be checked over by the doctors.” Said one of the nurses as they entered the ward.

Taking her into a side room, they helped her on to the hospital bed, making her comfortable and left the room. She curled up and closed her eyes, thinking only of her baby, her precious child who was clearly in some kind of distress  which made her feel helpless.  Tom and Kate sat on either side of the bed in silence, waiting in anticipation for a sign of the doctor to examine Sophia.  

Gently taking her hand into his, Tom stroked the back of her hand reassuringly as he watched her lay there so still, wishing he could do something that would help.  

It wasn’t long before the doctor arrived and Sophia opened her eyes groggily, conscious that she may have drifted off for a few moments out of sheer relief now she was  rid of the pain.

“Hi Sophia, I’m doctor Matthews, I wondered if I could examine you please?” The sweet faced young doctor took her time to thoroughly examine Sophia.

“Sophia, have you had this type of pain before during your pregnancy?” She asked as she steadily pressed around the bump.

“No, nothing at all.” Sophia replied, her voice sounding a little hoarse from her earlier screaming.  

Doctor Matthews then checked Sophia’s blood pressure.

“It does appear to be a little high but that’s to be expected,” She said reassuringly. “Have you found yourself in any stressful situations today?” Sophia looked over at her mum and looked back to her bump with a look of sadness on her face. Dr Matthews could see there was a little tension in the room, so asked no more questions.

“There is a strong chance that your pains were brought on by stress. I would however like you to have a scan just to make sure everything is ok with the baby.”   

“I’ll arrange for one of the nurses to take you through to the ultrasound room shortly.” She explained before leaving the room in search of a nurse.       

 

“I’m sorry Sophia.” Her mum said, holding her daughter’s hand tightly.

“I’m sorry too, mum. I don’t want us to fight, I need you, now especially.” Sophia smiled at her mum and squeezed her hand tightly.

“You’re my baby girl and I will always be here for you no matter what. I may not always agree with your choices, sweetheart, but that’s part of life and I intend to be there for both you and my grandchild” Kate beamed as she placed her hand on Sophia’s bump. They hugged tightly just as a young nurse came into the room.

“We’re ready to take you through for your ultrasound now, Miss Russell”.

 

As she laid on the uncomfortably hard hospital bed waiting for the doctor to start the scan, Sophia could see that Tom seemed a little absentminded, leaning across she reached over and took his hand, bringing him back to her.

“Are you ok?” She asked concerned.

“I am, my darling, just trying to get my head around everything that’s all. It’s been a lot to take in. Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly happy, but it’s a life changer for us both.” She noticed how his smile didn’t reach his eyes like it usually did which rather than putting her mind at ease, filled her with self doubt.

“You want out, don’t you?” Was all she could manage to say as she held back her tears which were fighting to release themselves down her flushed cheeks.

“No, not at all. Quite the opposite, actually. This has all made it that much more real to me and how it has made me feel seeing you so vulnerable today. I’ve realised just how much I want this with you.”        

Lifting her hand to his lips, he softly placed a kiss on the back of her hand which instantly brought a smile to her face.

It wasn’t long before the doctor entered the room to begin the scan.

Tom couldn’t believe his eyes as he stared at the monitor as the first heartbeats echoed around the room.

“Say hi to your baby, daddy.” She happily cooed as she watched Tom’s mesmerized face as he tried to take in this first sight of their unborn child. He squeezed her hand tightly,  whilst the smile, broadly painted across his face never faltered as the doctor examined the baby.   

“Everything seems to be absolutely fine with your baby Miss Russell. You really should try to avoid doing anything that might cause you anxiety or stress of any kind until the baby is born. You’re blood pressure is higher than what I’d like it to be, which can be caused by apprehension or…” Sophia cut in as the doctor explained about the serious risks to both Sophia and the baby.

“Arguments with family members by any chance?” She asked, realising the disapproval shown earlier from her mum earlier that day was likely to been the cause to her scare.

“Oh, most certainly. Also you might want to consider slowing down a little for the time being at least.” He replied.

“Well that’s settled then, you need a holiday and I know just where I’m taking you.” Tom announced happily.         

 

Waiting for the Doctor to step out of the room, Tom hastily followed for clarification of his intended trip away for himself and Sophia.

“I’m sorry to trouble you but I just wanted to check that it would be safe for Sophia to fly whilst she is pregnant? I’d like to take her away for some rest and relaxation.”

“Yes that will be absolutely fine up until around 28 weeks into the pregnancy.” The doctor replied before continuing along the corridor as Tom returned to join Sophia in the examination room.

 

 

To be continued...


	15. Chapter 15

A couple weeks later, once Sophia was feeling stronger, she contacted her boss at work, handed in her notice with immediate effect due to her health and began making arrangements to move in with Tom. They managed to find a rare day where he wasn’t away working so that they could travel up to the apartment she shared with Charlotte in Birmingham to collect her belongings.   

“I hope you understand why I have to go, sweetheart,” She said, hugging Charlotte tightly.

“I can help you out with the rent until you can find a new flatmate though.” She added kindly.

“It’s ok, honestly, I have a friend from work who’s looking for somewhere so she can move in almost straight away. I will miss you so much but I want you to be happy and I can see what an effect he’s had on you already, in a good way of course.” Charlotte smiled.

The two friends shared an abundance of tears as the final few boxes were packed into the car by Tom, who was refusing to let Sophia lift anything heavier than a cushion, despite her best arguments.  

“I’m going to miss you so much, but we can still speak on the phone all the time and I’ll see when you’re down in London with Luke, don’t forget.”

Tom walked into the lounge with a box containing the last of Sophia’s belongings,

“We are all set my darling, this is the last one. Shall we make a move for home?”  

Sophia couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear at the thought of her future, and of waking up each morning with this incredible man.  

 

It hadn’t taken her long to unpack once they had arrived back at the house in London that afternoon. Helping her to feel more at home, Tom had suggested putting up some of the photos she had brought of her parents and of her friends around the house, whilst adding some of her favourite movies to his own very eclectic collection. Tom had had a good laugh over the number of chick flicks he’d come across whilst they had been packing them into storage boxes earlier that morning.   

“I like my rom com's ok?” She giggled throwing a cushion in his general direction across the room.

That afternoon the two of them sat trawling the web looking at everything they could possibly want or need for the baby, from cots to pushchairs, moses baskets, sterilizer sets for bottles, baby monitors and so much more than either of them had yet contemplated.

 

The weeks of her pregnancy were now flying by and Sophia was shocked to see how quickly she had developed a very obvious baby bump.

Having now settled into the house and Sophia was feeling stronger, Tom arranged for them to spend some time with his two sisters, Sarah and Emma, to firstly introduce them to Sophia and to then share their exciting baby news.  After the initial surprise, they both welcomed Sophia in to their family like a sister.

Knowing he was going to be away for a couple of days with work, Tom had kindly arranged for the three girls to spend some time together at a spa for some well needed rest and relaxation. Something he was very keen to ensure Sophia had plenty of after their warning from the doctor.

 

Upon his return, Tom had invited Luke and Charlotte around to join them for dinner so that he and Luke could discuss how best to handle the barrage of questions and attention that would soon be coming in his direction after one of the neighbours had tipped off a gossip column about Sophia having recently moved in.

Having enjoyed a delicious meal cooked by Tom, the guys made their way through to his office to talk business whilst Sophia gave Charlotte a guided tour of the three story town house.

“I love the split levels, the layout makes it so spacious.” Charlotte complimented as they made their way up the first flight of stairs to the open landing.

“I know, it really is beautiful isn’t it? We’ve got our room just at the end there and next to that is what’s going to be the baby’s room. Would you like to see it?” Sophia asked, knowing Charlotte would be as excited as she was about this particular part of the house.

As they entered the room, Charlotte was taken by surprise as to how much they had already done in preparation for the baby’s arrival. The walls had been recently painted in a soft neutral beige to complement the light coloured furniture which had already been built, including the crib, changing table, wardrobe and a tall chest of drawers, which being flat on top lent itself as a storage shelf for a variety of pregnancy and childcare books, a colourful lamp along with a sound and motion activated monitor.

A small collection of soft toys sat at the foot of the crib, all of which were classic disney characters including Mickey and Minnie, Winnie the Pooh and Piglet, and Bambi and Flower which would to be suitable for either a boy or a girl.    

“Oh sweetheart this is gorgeous! Your baby is going to want for nothing!” Charlotte cooed as she spotted the traditional rocking chair in the corner of the room.

“All I care about is that the baby is healthy, happy and loved unconditionally by both its parents, that’s more than any child needs.” Sophia replied, a little surprised at Charlotte’s lack of tact when it came to her friends’ new found financial security.      

“Well of course it is, but surely you must be glad he has plenty of money to spoil you rotten with though.” Charlotte replied giving her friend a cheeky smile.

“It makes no difference to me Char, I’d still want to be with him even if he had a 9-5 job in the city. What Tom does for a living makes no odds to me, it’s him I’ve fallen in love with, not what he does.” Suddenly not feeling at all well, Sophia made her way across the room to the rocking chair and eased herself down.

“I’ve been so exhausted all the time and I’m not even half way through this pregnancy. I don’t think it’s helped with all the extra stress of the press constantly camped on the doorstep for the last few days either. Tom’s management team have suggested he make a statement to the press before they catch on about the baby so that we can all be in control of the situation a little more. I see the logic, of course, but I’m just not ready for the backlash you know. I don’t think I’m strong enough to handle being hated by so many people.” She sighed heavily, feeling all of the emotional uncertainty she’d been bottling up as it began to bubble to the surface now she was with her best friend. She found herself unable to hold back the tears she’d been hiding for the last few weeks.  

“Who knows what those crazy journo’s will write about me? Probably how I’m too much of a plain Jane or not pretty enough for him, which of course they will be absolutely right about.” Charlotte made a noise in protest but Sophia ignored her.

“I never understood how or why he found me attractive before, but now I look in the mirror and I see this…” she gestured to her ever expanding bump and general weight gain.  

“I just can’t see how he could possibly still want me looking like a beached whale when he has all these stunning actresses throwing themselves at him day after day.”  She desperately tried to stop her tears as they continued to flow as she thought of losing him.   

“Soph, he absolutely adores you and don’t even start to think you look anything other than amazing because you’ll have me to deal with. You are positively glowing through this pregnancy and you look stunning with your beautiful baby bump. Tom loves you darling and I know you’re scared about the reaction the fans will have towards you, but you have to know he will be there for you.” Charlotte knelt down onto a soft sheepskin rug next to the rocking chair and held her friend's hand to comfort her as an over emotional Sophia burst into tears.  

 

Tom sat rigid in his reclining leather chair within his office, unable to take his eyes off of the baby monitor sitting on the desk in front of him, having just heard the girl’s conversation in the nursery. Feeling terrible for not realising just how much of an effect all of this had been having on Sophia, he was determined to show her how important she was to him.

 

As Luke and Charlotte left later that evening, Sophia was alarmed to see there was still a photographer standing outside of the house waiting to capture a picture of the couple together.  

 “Uhh, why can’t they stay away to let us live our lives in peace?” She asked frustrated, watching him close the front door behind their friends.

“I know it sounds crazy, but you will get used to it. I’ve learnt just to keep to myself where I can and not to give them any reason to show me in a bad light and so far it has stood me in good stead.” He smiled, hoping to have reassured her a little at least.

“I guess it will be a case of wait and see how everyone reacts to our news. I’m sure it won’t be long until I become the most hated woman by your devout fan base for having stolen you away!” She tried to sound lighthearted about it all but thinking back to the conversation he had overheard earlier that evening he could see it was worrying her.

“It won’t be that bad, I promise. So some of them may not like it at first, they’ll get used to it. I’d hope they would be happy for us once they come around to the idea.” Taking her into his arms, he held her tightly, wanting to protect her from the outside world.

 

 

To be continued...


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you're all still enjoying the story... this is one of my favourite chapters so far and as you read you'll find out why! ;)

It was finally the day of Sophia’s next scan and they were both feeling excited and apprehensive.   

Arriving at the private hospital, Sophia took Tom’s hand as they were led into a lavish consulting room with an examination bed and a state of the art ultrasound machine connected to a large flatscreen monitor. Tom helped her to slip off her jacket and placed it on the chair next to the bed as she undid her jeans button and zip. Being a little on the short side and now 20 weeks pregnant, she struggled to pull herself up on to the edge of the bed. Seeing her struggling to lift herself up, Tom swooped in to help her, scooping her up into his arms and lowering her on to the bed. Leaning over, he kissed her forehead before taking a seat in the chair. Taking her hand in his, they waited for the doctor to join them to begin the scan.

“How are you feeling sweetheart?” He asked, concerned.

“A little nervous, but I will feel better once we see Peanut on the screen and I know everything is ok.” She squeezed his hand, revealing the depth of her anxiety to him.

“Just remember that we are in this together. Everything will be fine.” Just then, the door opened.       

“Good Morning Miss Russell, Mr Hiddleston, I’m Doctor Stephens,” He announced, looking down at his file of notes.

“This is your third scan, is that correct?” He asked looking to Sophia.

“Yes that’s right, I had one at 12 weeks and then another at 14 weeks when I collapsed.” She confirmed.

“I’ve received your medical records, including notes about your recent admittance. How have you been feeling since then?” Dr Stephens began adding notes to his file as Sophia spoke.

“Generally, I have been ok. We’ve reduced a large amount of stress from our lives to keep the baby calm and I feel fine.” She looked over to Tom who squeezed her hand for reassurance. Taking out the ultrasound gel and placing it on the stand next to the machine Dr Stephens pulled on a pair of latex gloves.    

“Let’s have a look at this little one and make sure all the developments are as they should be. Would you both like to know if we have a boy or a girl on the way?” Looking from Sophia to Tom, they looked at each other and smiled excitedly.

“Yes, we would please.” Tom confirmed.     

Dr Stephens applied the gel across Sophia’s bump and began to slowly move the probe from left to right slowly to gain a strong image.

“This little one has a strong heartbeat and seems to be developing well.” He confirmed. Sophia lent her head back on the bed and released a sigh of relief.

“That’s wonderful news.” Tom couldn’t stop smiling as he was transfixed on the screen. Dr Stephens continued to slowly move the probe around Sophia’s stomach area trying to confirm a visual on the sex of the unborn child.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like this little one is quite ready to reveal themselves, I’m afraid. However, I would like to arrange another appointment for you to come back in for another scan so that we can monitor your condition closely and at that time hopefully the baby will have turned enough for us to be able to clearly see if it’s a boy or girl,” Dr Stephens advised.

“If you take a seat in the waiting room, we’ll get that booked in for you.”  He ripped off his gloves and deposited them into the waste bin before departing from the room.

“Isn’t that fantastic news, sweetheart?” Tom got to his feet to help Sophia down from the bed.

“The baby is healthy and growing well which is reassuring isn’t it?”  She smiled back at him as she slid herself to the edge of the bed

“It’s the best news we could have hoped for.” She beamed. Taking his hand, they made their way out into the reception.   

 

In the days following the scan, it had taken some intensive persuasion on Tom’s part to convince Sophia to agree to finally meet with his management team Christian & Louise, to discuss the long term effects of their recent news. Sophia had protested that she didn’t feel comfortable in sharing such private news with the rest of the world so freely.

Sitting down in the large minimalist conference room at Christian’s London office, they discussed how best to handle the press and any potential kickback from his fans. Tom put forward some of the ideas he and Luke had brainstormed including the idea of preempting the story before the press got a hold of it by releasing a statement or to allow one of the glossy magazines an inside scoop to do an expose of the couple at home together as they prepared for parenthood or simply to let the press take pictures of them together somewhere preselected, so effectively leaking the story but being in control of when and where the pictures are taken.

After a long drawn out conversation, it was decided that the best option would be to release a statement within the coming weeks, confirming their relationship along with the news of their expected arrival once they had finished telling their immediate family members, which included both of their fathers.  With Sophia’s dad Paul being based in the U.S it was going to be impossible to visit to tell him their news in person, so it was down to Sophia to tell him by phone. As she had expected, he was shocked by her revelation of becoming a mother but was delighted his little girl was so happy.

“It’s wonderful to hear a smile in your voice again my angel, especially after your last visit. I had wondered then if there was a guy involved in your spontaneous trip but I’m so pleased for you.” She knew she could count on her dad’s support whenever she needed him.

Finally, it was Tom’s turn. His father, James, was currently out of the country on business and so Tom also had to deliver the news over the phone. As he expected, he received a lighter version of his mother’s apprehension but wished him all the best and would arrange to meet the two of them upon his return.  

 

“Sophia, my darling.” Tom called out from his office late one night. He soon heard her slowly making her way along the hallway from the lounge and her smiling face appeared around the doorframe.

“Sweetheart, I want to you look over the press statement Louise has sent over for us to check before it is released tomorrow. I want you to make sure you’re happy with everything before we sign it off.”  He stood up to let Sophia take his seat at the desk. Tom held the chair so she could lower herself into the chair so to get a better view of the computer screen. Seeing her name within the title she cringed in embarrassment.  

“Are you sure this is the best way? Can we not just let them all find out in their own time?” She asked, feeling disconcerted just thinking about seeing their business spread all over the newspapers for anyone to see. Tom shook his head sadly.

 

‘Tom is pleased to announce that he and Miss Russell are expecting their first child in the coming months.....Would like to thank his fans for their forthcoming well wishes and for understanding that he may not be as available as before as he wishes to spend more time with his family’

 

“It does rather feel like we’re taking a huge advert out to show off to the world that we’re sickeningly happy together and just to rub it in some more we’re living happily ever after with a baby on the way.” She hated feeling as though they were setting themselves up for a backlash from his fans    

As her eyes scanned over the screen once more she began to cringe again as she continued to read down the page, unsure as to why she’d ever agreed to any of this. Looking up from the comfort of her chair, she stared into his handsome face as he stood looking anxious at her side. Seeing the man who had come to mean so much to her, who was trying to do right by her and their child the best way he knew how lifted her spirits. It was there in that moment, she realised what all this had come to mean and her frustration was gone.    

 

 

For the immediate days that followed their statement being released, a barrage of press had been camped outside their door waiting for a glimpse of the couple together, unaware that they had escaped for some rest on a much needed holiday in Cyprus that Tom had been secretly planning since that traumatic day at the hospital.

 

As they relaxed in the sunshine at their villa on the coast, the two of them welcomed the calm and tranquility of their surroundings. Sophia was glad to have seen the back of her morning sickness so that she could enjoy swimming in their private pool to her heart's content.

She and Tom were able to make the most of his anonymity on the island by eating out at some of the exquisite local restaurants, taking walks across the beach through the surf whilst enjoying the freedom to go hand in hand wherever they went.

Their time alone also gave them the opportunity to continue building the foundations of their fledgling relationship whilst the anticipation of becoming parents brought them closer still.

“I could stay here forever.” Sophia announced as they neared the end of their time away. Looking out over the beach, she spotted a young family playing in the shallow edges of the sea.

“I know sweetheart, but we have to face reality sometime,” Tom replied, joining her at the patio table where they were to enjoy a healthy lunch he had prepared for them.

“Anyway, I’m not quite sure what the healthcare system is like here to want to put you or the baby at risk, especially during labour.” He added seriously.

“Well yes, I hadn’t thought of that, but the idea of the sunshine and the beach is so more tempting than the hustle and bustle of central London as a location for bringing up a child.” She continued to watch the family in the distance. The couple had three children, including a toddler who Sophia could see was enjoying splashing her siblings with sea water. She couldn’t help but smile at the sight, which made her think about their own future. How she wanted their child to grow up out of the spotlight, to have as normal an upbringing as possible whilst knowing having a father within the public eye would bring a certain amount of unwanted attention.

“You’ve gone quiet, what are you thinking about?” He asked, bringing her out of her daydream.       

“About the future. What life is going to be like for our little Peanut here,” she said rubbing her swollen belly.

“For us as well. It’s all been such a whirlwind...a good one, but none the less I have no idea how to brace myself for what is to come.”   

“I don’t think either of us can know for sure, but we will get through it together,” He took her hand and squeezed it tightly.

“Having seen how Chris and Elsa Hemsworth have managed to keep little India-Rose and their twin boys away from the media, I think we will be ok. I know Elsa is living with the children in Australia as opposed to in L.A so they don’t get hounded as much so it has meant they can live a fairly normal life, but we can make it work.” He reassured her.   

“It will be nice for Peanut to have some playmates close to their age too with Tristan and Sasha being less than a year older.” He added happily.

“It will certainly be nice to meet Elsa at last after hearing you talk so much about her and Chris, but also to have someone who has been through it all so recently to talk to about it too.” She smiled contentedly thinking how her life couldn’t be more perfect.

 

Later that evening they went out for a romantic meal in a traditional Cypriot restaurant in the nearby town. They spent the evening enjoying the most splendid local cuisine whilst   talking about their future, about the upcoming scan which would hopefully tell them the sex of the baby which soon led to a long discussion of potential baby names as well as their plans to spend their first Christmas together which would be coming round in just a few months.

After they had finished eating, Tom suggested as it was their last night on the island that they take a walk through the cobbled streets of the old town before walking back to the villa. They found themselves at the start of a pathway leading down to the beach as the last of the daylight was beginning to fade. They began along the path which was wide enough for them to walk along hand in hand, opening out onto a small private beach.

Up ahead, Sophia could see little flickers of light coming from an array of lanterns laid out in the sand. Walking closer to investigate, she could see they were set out in the shape of a heart. There was a small table in the centre with a bottle of something on ice with two glasses next to it.

As the sun was setting in the distance, Tom had come to a halt in the centre of the flickering lanterns. A little confused, Sophia looked at him curiously as he smiled widely, before he lowered himself down on to one knee in front of her. Her mouth fell open as he gently held her hands.

“Sophia, I know that we haven’t known each other all that long but I feel there has been a connection between us since the moment we first met. For a long time I had felt as though there had been something missing from my life, and then I realised that night, that what I was missing was you.  You have brought me so much happiness in our short time together, especially in the form of our beautiful child who will soon be here with us,” He took a moment as he saw the tears welling up in Sophia’s eyes before continuing.

“I want us to spend the rest of our lives together, my darling. I love you and can’t imagine my life without you. Sophia will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

Before she could speak, he produced a small black velvet box from his pocket. Opening the lid, he presented her with an exquisite white gold ring encasing a single square cut diamond.

The tears were streaming down her delicate cheeks as she took in this surprise proposal.

“Tom, I love you too and of course I will!” She said smiling like she’d never smiled before as she realised that her perfect day had just become even more perfect. He was soon on his feet, kissing her passionately as he swept her off of her feet and spun her around, causing them both to laugh with uncontrollable happiness.    

 

To be continued...


	17. Chapter 17

The next day they travelled back to the UK, leaving behind the sunny climes of Cyprus, only to be greeted by the more traditional British weather.  

“I do wish we could have stayed a little longer. We’ve only been gone just over a week and it’s gotten so much colder here already.” Sophia commented as they stepped out of the terminal.

Tom’s driver Clark was stood next to the car waiting to collect them. Stepping forward, he reached out to open the car door for Sophia who gladly climbed into escape the cold whilst Clark stored both hers and Tom’s luggage safely away in the boot. Opening the door from the other side, Tom slid into the back seat next to her before leaning across and affectionately kissing her lightly on the cheek. A smile beamed across her face as she caught sight of her shining engagement ring as he turned her hand over and slid his fingers in between her own.  

Clark was soon in the driver's seat and steering them away from the airport and towards the motorway into central London. The traffic was increasingly heavy as they slowly made their way along the M25, coming to almost a complete stop as the heavens opened. An hour or so later they finally reached the end of their street and were relieved to see there were no photographers or press outside the house.  

 

The long and drawn out journey had made Sophia feel especially tired as she made her way through the front door and into the hallway.

“You look exhausted darling, why don’t you go and have a rest for a while?” Tom suggested as he walked in behind her, noticing the washed out look on her face.

“But there’s so much that needs doing…” She began, but was instantly interrupted.   “I’m sure it’s nothing that can’t wait. Have a rest for an hour or so now and after that we’ll make a list of what needs to be done and we will do them together, ok?” Scooping her up into his arms, he held her tightly in a loving embrace before kissing her deeply.

“I certainly don’t want to sleep now!” She giggled as she turned and headed for the stairs.

“Sleep, my love!” He chuckled as he watched her slowly make her way up the stairs towards their bedroom.

As much as he would have loved to have joined her, curled up together for an hour or so, instead he headed to his office in search of just the thing to bring a smile to his beautiful girl’s face.   

 

An hour later and with an extra large mug of her favourite tea, Tom made his way up to wake Sophia. Silently slipping into the bedroom he saw her curled up on the far side of the bed facing away from him. Watching her from the doorway, he noticed her breathing pattern seemed irregular and suddenly realised that she was crying. Placing the mug of tea down on to the bed side table closest to him, he stepped around the edge of the bed, confused as to what could have upset her. Kneeling down beside her, he gently placed the palm of his hand to her cheek, wiping away some of the tears that were streaming down her face.

“Hush now sweetheart, tell me what’s wrong.” He said in a gentle tone, leaning in close to her, but she didn’t reply.

“Sophia, please talk to me, what’s happened to upset you like this?” Again there was a moment of silence before she finally spoke.

“Our baby died.” She spoke in barely a whisper, her eyes still firmly closed, as she said allowed what it was that had reduced her to tears.

“What do you mean?” He was alarmed by her response, glancing at her belly, but trying to stay calm.

“In my dream, our baby died, as I was giving birth.” She just about managed to say the words as fresh tears began to flow.

“Oh my precious darling, it was just a dream, it wasn’t real.” He let out a small sigh, having instantly thought the worst. He stroked her hair trying to calm her down as her whole body shook.

Opening her eyes she looked at him with such pain and fear in her eyes.

“It felt so real,” She continued to sob.

“I couldn’t bare to loose him, Tom… this baby means everything to me.” Clutching their unborn child, she shivered at the thought of life without him. Confused, Tom couldn’t help but question her specific reference to the baby being a boy.   

“He? We won’t know until the next scan if its a boy or a girl, but either way, this baby is going to be loved more than any other, by both its parents.”

“In my dream our baby was a boy, he had the most beautiful eyes just like yours, and he was so tiny and perfect…”  She struggled to hold back fresh tears.

“Princess, it’s all going to be ok I promise. Our baby is healthy and once he or she arrives we are going to be together as a family.”  He tried to gently reassure her.

“We only have a few days to wait until the next scan so little Peanut can be checked over by the doctor and they can reassure us that everything is ok?” He cajoled. Still feeling half asleep, she looked up into his worried face and gave him a small smile as she reached out to touch his cheek. Leaning forwards he kissed her softly on the lips before gently wrapping his arms around her into a comforting embrace.

  


“So tell me about these dreams you’ve been having?” Dr Stephens asked as he began Sophia’s examination a few days later.

“They started a few days ago, always the same type of dream...well more nightmare really…” She began with a hint of hesitation in her voice.

“Are they related to your pregnancy?” He asked, sliding his hands into a pair of latex gloves as Sophia nodded with a look of sadness on her face.

“Yes, mainly about the birth…” She swallowed before continuing.

“...and there being complications during the birth. More recently the baby…” Sophia could feel her voice breaking as she struggled to find the words to explain.

“It’s ok Sophia, nightmares are quite common...especially regarding the birth itself, it’s simply the mind's way of releasing its fear of the unknown. It’s very rare there is a complication for mother or baby during the delivery so please try not to worry.” He smiled kindly, trying to reassure her.

 

“Shall we see if this little one is facing the right way today so we can see if you’ll be dressing them in pink or blue?” Dr Stephens asked, lightening the atmosphere within the room.

“Oh yes please!” She beamed, so excited at the thought of finally knowing. Tom held her hand tightly as Dr Stephens guided the probe across the swollen bump encasing the baby.  After a few moments Dr Stephens smiled at the anxious expressions of the soon-to-be parents.

“Finally, we have some good news…” He began.

 

 

To be continued...


	18. Chapter 18

 

Making the most of the mild September weather, Sophia had set up camp out in the sunshine with her laptop and a glass of water, settling down for a day of researching baby names and the few remaining things Peanut would need.

Tom had left early that morning for a sound studio on the other side of the city, where he had been recording an audio book he had been commissioned for. He had been enjoying the challenge of a different form of acting whilst being close enough to home to be able to return to his beloved Sophia at the end of each day.

In the late afternoon he returned home, happy to see that she was at least attempting to relax, engrossed in a book out in the garden brought a satisfied smile to his face as he stepped out through the french doors to join her.

 

She was sat as comfortably as she could be in her condition, with her feet curled up beside her. Leaning down to kiss her on the forehead, he took a seat beside her.

Tom slid his phone out of his pocket and draped an arm around her shoulder.

“I’ve called my mum, dad, Emma and Sarah and they’ll be here for 7 o’clock tomorrow evening.” Tom confirmed.

“I spoke to my mum just now, she and Steve are both going to come down on the train tomorrow afternoon and Charlotte is going to come and stay a couple of days whilst you’re away too. It’s been so long since I last saw her. ” She said happily.

“That’s great news, I’ll feel better knowing you aren’t here on your own but I’ll be back on Saturday. I haven’t had a chance to speak to him yet but I’m sure Luke will be free to come round to join us for our announcement too.” Taking his phone he pressed the speed dial for Luke and pressed the call button.

“Luke, Are you free tomorrow evening? Sophia and I are having a few people round for drinks and wondered if you wanted to join us?” He nodded as he listened to Luke’s reply.

“Sure that's fine, Soph said Charlotte’s coming down tomorrow so I guess we’ll see you then.” He finished the call speedily and slid his phone on to the glass coffee table as he turned back to Sophia who was now sat with the laptop open looking at baby clothes.

“It’s going to be lovely to have a few colour specific outfits now we know the sex of the baby.” She smiled, rubbing her swollen stomach.      

  
  


The following evening their close family and friends had gathered together at the house on the pretense of a few casual drinks. Once everyone had arrived and the introductions had been made, they all helped themselves to a drink before Tom called for their attention.  Walking over to join Sophia, he slipped his arm around her waist as they all turned to watch them.

“Thank you everyone for joining us tonight, it’s wonderful to have you all here with us. We wanted to start off by thanking you all for your support over the last few months. I know it has meant a lot to the both of us, and particularly to Sophia following our announcement which has created some unwanted press attention.” Sophia nodded and shot a sad smile at Charlotte as Tom continued. “Nonetheless, as you know, Sophia and I are looking forward to the arrival of our little one in early January. This week the doctors have told us that we are expecting a beautiful baby boy!” He grinned widely, looking to Sophia and kissing her lovingly on the lips. Their guests exclaimed happily and began coming forward to hug and congratulate the beaming couple.

Once everyone had offered their congratulations and taken up their drinks again Tom continued, taking a deep breath

“We also have something else we would like share with you all. Whilst we were out in Cyprus last week I asked Sophia to marry me,” There were gasps from around the room along with tears of joy from both of their mums.

“...and luckily for me, she said yes!” His smile lit up the room, proud to have his soon-to-be wife and child here in his arms.      

“You must be so excited about the baby and having a wedding to plan now too?” Charlotte asked as she hugged her best friend.

“It’s a lot to take in, but I am so excited. Everything is just perfect right now and I couldn’t be happier if I tried.” Sophia replied.

“Are you going to have the wedding before the baby’s born?”

“I think we’d rather wait, to be honest. I know it’ll mean the baby is born out of wedlock which won’t please Mum, but it’ll only be for a few months and I’d rather not be waddling down the aisle either!” Sophia laughed.    

“That’s understandable. Dress shopping is going to be amazing!” Charlotte replied excitedly.  

“Have either of you thought of any baby names yet?” She asked intrigued.

“Well, to be honest, I’ve been pretty certain for the last few weeks that we were having a boy. All of the dreams I was having, the baby was always a boy so I wondered if maybe he was trying to let me know!” She laughed.

“We have a few of names we like but personally, I think I’d like to wait and choose a name once the baby arrives. He may not suit his name otherwise! However there is one name that I am keeping a closely guarded secret as to what it is until he’s born, not even Tom knows yet!”       

 

On the other side of the room, Tom was enjoying a few moments with his sisters.    

“You know we love you Tom, but you’ve gone from being an eligible bachelor to a fiance and expectant father in less than six months. Are you sure you’re ready for all of this?” Emma asked, concerned for her brother.  

“Em, I’m 33 years old, I can’t keep putting my career ahead of my happiness. I am proud of where my acting has taken me and what I’ve achieved so far but I don’t want to be alone forever either. You’re both so lucky to have found that special someone to share your lives with and now I‘ve found mine.” Seeing the look that passed between his sisters he knew this wasn’t the end of their interrogation, nor of their doubts   

“It’s admirable that you want to do the right thing, but you shouldn’t feel as though you have to make a commitment just because she’s pregnant. Plenty of guys these days have children but aren’t with the mothers, it’s not something that's frowned upon so much now.” Sarah added, surprising Tom with her somewhat cavalier attitude towards Sophia and his growing family.

“What you both seem to be failing to understand is that I love Sophia. Whether there was a baby or not I would still want to be with her. She’s the best thing that has ever happened to me and I am so thankful that fate played a part in bringing the two of us together. I will admit that our relationship hasn’t been exactly traditional, but that doesn’t take away from my feelings for Sophia at all. I hope you can both understand that because for the first time in a very long time I’ve found someone I care about and I want her and my child to feel apart of our family.” He couldn’t help but feel irritated by their reaction to the news of their engagement.

“Tom, we do accept her, I like her enormously, but we’re just concerned that you’re rushing into this because of the baby that’s all.” Emma replied hesitantly.

“I love you both dearly, but I don’t want this conversation to be brought up again after tonight, and I certainly would never want Sophia to be aware of how you both feel, because it would upset her enormously.” He spoke very calmly, although he could feel the frustration and anger building inside. He turned away from his siblings and over towards Sophia who was sitting with her mum and Steve, animatedly telling them all about their holiday in Cyprus and Tom’s proposal.

The evening had been one of mixed emotions for them both but were pleased to have brought their families together who appeared to get on very well...on the surface at least.         

  
  


The next few days whilst Tom was away working were hard for Sophia. This was the longest the two of them had been apart since she’d told him about the baby all those months ago.

To keep her mind occupied, She and Charlotte spent lots of time shopping, mainly for baby clothes but also looking for outfits to wear for Tom’s upcoming film premiere.

 

Sophia bit her lip and trailed her hands along the racks of beautiful gowns, pausing to  examine a long, red figure hugging gown, that once would have fit her like a glove, showing off her previous slim figure. She sighed and said aloud “I don’t think I’ll ever find something that doesn’t make me feel enormous.”

Not for the first time, Sophia contemplated not going, so as to not embarrass Tom as his frumpy wife-to-be. Not to mention avoiding any face to face contact with the fans for a little while longer.  

Charlotte caught the sad look in her eye. “You’re not thinking of staying home are you?”

 

Putting on a brave face, Sophia smiled widely, hoping to throw her friend off the scent.

“Of course not! Why on earth would I do that?” She asked innocently.

“Because you’re scared, and I understand, I do. But I’ll be there with you and so will Tom.” Charlotte gave her a reassuring smile.

“I know, but I don’t feel glamourous, how can I looking like this? He’s hardly going to want to show off his new fiancee when she resembles a beached whale.” Sophia turned away, just as the tears pricked in her eyes.

“That’s nonsense and you know it,” Charlotte placed her delicate hands on Sophia’s shoulders, slowly turning her round   

“He loves you and he will be proud to have you on his arm showing you off to the world.”  

Sophia began thinking about the thralls of disapproving comments she’d come across online just few days ago by so-called fans of Tom. The hurtful accusations that were spread across Twitter claimed that she had entrapped him into a loveless relationship with the use of her pregnancy, that she’d used his kind nature to manipulate him into marrying her, not to mention the worst of all she’d come across that in fact the baby wasn’t even Tom’s at all.   

‘How can I face these people knowing this is what they think of me?’ She thought, feeling less and less like shopping as the moments passed.

Deciding she’d had enough for one day, she made an excuse about feeling tired and that she’d like to head home to rest. As Charlotte still hadn’t managed to find herself a dress, Sophia insisted that she continue her search and to join her back at the house later on that afternoon. Reluctantly, Charlotte agreed and hugged her friend tightly.       

 

Turning the key in the lock and stepping into the hallway, Sophia felt a wave of tiredness wash over her she wandered into the kitchen to make herself a relaxing cup of tea. She was suddenly jolted from her unhappy state as she heard footsteps on the landing above. Trying desperately to keep calm, she buried her fears as she quietly walked back into the hallway and walked back towards the bottom of their stairs. Silently, she made her way up to the first floor, where, as she reached the landing she could see the door to her and Tom’s bedroom was ajar. Her heart was in her throat as she tiptoed closer to the room, her mind working overtime as to what or who she would find. She heard the sound of a drawer opening and closing, and then another, and another, as though whoever was on the other side of the door was busily searching for something.

Plucking up the courage to confront whoever it was that had unjustly entered her home, she took a deep breath and barged into the room to be confronted by an unexpected familiar face.

“Tom? What are you doing here?” She questioned, more than a little shocked to see him standing in front of her, with just a towel wrapped around his waist, water droplets running down from his broad shoulders.  

“Sweetheart! I didn’t hear you get home.” He beamed, turning around to see her standing in the doorway. He couldn’t help but admire how beautiful she looked, wearing an oatmeal coloured jumper dress, sitting just off her shoulders and teamed with a pair of low heeled knee-high boots. He flashed a grin at the flabbergasted look on her face.

“I thought you were a burglar!”  She exclaimed, more than a little relieved to see him, and not a complete stranger ransacking her underwear drawer!   

“...And so you thought you’d tackle an intruder, in your condition?” He asked alarmed.

“I’m pregnant Tom, not sick. I can still defend myself.” She retorted.

In that moment, as the relief set in and the joy of seeing her handsome fiance became too much, her emotions overwhelmed her. She ran into his awaiting outstretched arms, never wanting to let him go.

As they stood silently for a moment, he looked down at his beautiful girl and contentedly smiled to himself. He noticed there were silent tears sliding down her cheeks.

“Sophia my darling, why are you crying?” He asked, unable to hide the concern from his voice. She hesitated before responding,

“I just really missed you, that’s all.” She said, trying to hide her now blushing cheeks in his incredibly toned chest.

“It’s been so hard for me being away from you, too. These last few days felt like a lifetime, so when they said we’d finished a day early then I jumped straight on the first plane home to see you.” He held her tightly against him.

Lowering his head to her exposed shoulder, he began to place the softest of kisses along her smooth pale skin, sending sparks of electricity through her body. She couldn’t help but smile widely as his lips reached the base of her neck where they continued this most welcome assault. Gently, his hands traced up and down her body whilst he began to playfully bite her ear she let out a soft moan of pleasure.  Sophia couldn’t help but feel reassured by this intimate moment between them, making her feel more attractive to him than she had felt in months.

“Mr Hiddleston, I believe you may just be pleased to see me!” She said in a playful tone as she felt his distinctive erection pressing through the towel which was still wrapped around his waist.        

Slowly edging towards the bed, and in answer to her observation, Tom’s wanting lips found hers. In that moment, all of her senses were heightened when his hands began to descend down her body and towards the hem of her dress. She soon felt contact with the edge of their soft king sized bed as her dress was slowly beginning to ride up her thighs.

“Tom, we can’t” Sophia said breathlessly, breaking their kiss.

“I thought you’d said we wouldn’t hurt the baby?” He asked, a little confused, his hands tangled in the hem of her dress at her hips.

“It’s not that...Charlotte could come back at any time.” Her eyes flicking towards the doorway.

He grinned widely at her before stepping over to the door to firmly close it.  

“Well in that case, I’m going to make the most of the time we do have to enjoy making love to my beautiful wife-to-be.” Tom turned back to her with a hungry gleam in his eye, making Sophia take a small step back in surprise. He crossed the floor with a single stride, pinning her in place with his lustful gaze. He grasped her dress and pulled it over her head in one swift movement, discarding it on the floor, before lowering his lips to her shoulder once more.

Sophia closed her eyes and rolled her head, sighing in pleasure as his slender fingers traced lines across her body, leaving the places he touched feeling as though they were electrified. His lips found hers again as one hand brushed down her back and undid her bra, making her moan as he cupped her breast in his hand. Sophia surrendered and reached up Tom’s back to grasp his broad muscular shoulders as she leant into him, pushing him back towards the bed, surprising him with her actions. He soon recovered, before delicately sliding off her lace panties, pausing for a moment to wrap her legs around him as he slowly stepped backwards to the bed, before twisting to lower her onto the edge carefully. Sophia ran her hands up from his shoulders and into his curling hair, pulling him closer to her as she deepened their kiss. Her hands were slick with moisture from his wet hair as she held his face in her hands, taking a moment to gaze into his eyes.

“I love you.” She whispered, smiling lovingly as she leaned into kiss him.

“I love you too” He replied warmly, caressing her cheek.

Sophia lay back and closed her eyes, gasping in pleasure as he touched her, giving in to the moment and allowing herself to be overtaken by pleasure for the first time in months, reassured by his passion for her.

 

As they lay wrapped in each other's arms, she smiled to herself as she fell into a contented sleep, snuggling closer into his chest. She thought of their afternoon together and how it’d given her the reassurance she’d been longing for since the early stages of her pregnancy, that even in her condition he was still physically attracted to her. She knew he’d cared about her enough to stand by her and the baby by proposing, but to know he shared that wanting passion allowed her to truly give herself over to him.          

 

 

To be continued...


	19. Chapter 19

Waking from her slumber, she was vaguely aware that she was now alone in the bed. As she lay quietly, her eyes remained closed so not to be blinded by the late afternoon sun that she could feel bathing the room. After a short while she decided that a refreshing shower was just what she needed. Walking around the edge of the bed, she headed towards the en-suite bathroom and into the shower.

As she stood beneath the steaming hot water, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back to allow the water to cover her body when she felt the strangest of sensations. Opening her eyes with a jolt, she looked down at her bump just as she felt the smallest of thuds for the second time. After a moment, Sophia beamed with happiness at the realisation of what was happening. Washing her hair quickly, she was soon out of the shower and dressed in a pair of loose fitting khaki moroccan styled trousers and a simple white vest top all the while not being able to stop smiling.  She made her way down the stairs, finding Tom at his desk in the study.

“Hello beautiful, did you have a good sleep?” He asked, as she walked over to him, unable to keep the grin from her face.

“I really did.” She leaned down and kissed him lightly. Unable to hide her excitement, Sophia placed her hand on Tom’s, before intertwining her fingers into his and raising it up to her bump where she rested it. For a moment nothing happened and then suddenly Tom’s face lit up in a mixture of excitement and surprise.

“Oh my...did he just kick?” Tom asked, his face lit up upon feeling the little thud against his hand. Eagerly he rested his hand back on to her bump hoping to feel his son’s movements once again.

“That’s incredible!” He exclaimed unable to take his eyes away from her bump.

“Just think...in another three months or so, this little nudger will be here with us.” She thought out loud, excited to finally meet her special little man.

 

As the weeks past by, the house had become a mass of cardboard boxes as packages began to arrive, day after day, many of which Sophia had no idea about. They were mostly practical items for the baby but also the odd special delivery that Tom had kept a surprise.

After weeks of promotion and interviews with the press, Tom’s big day had finally arrived, the UK premiere of his latest movie, ‘Only Lovers Left Alive’ . His co-star, Tilda Swinton was unable to attend so he would be covering all of the press interviews himself.

On this cold and wet October day they would be heading to Leicester Square where the film would be premiering as part of the London Film Festival.  

He and Sophia had agreed it was probably best if they didn’t arrive together as he would be held up doing a lot of press and signing for the fans so she had arranged for Charlotte to attend with her.  

  
Sophia was relaxing in the lounge when she heard the doorbell ring

“I’ll get it, you stay where you are.” Tom called out as he came down the staircase and headed to the front door. Sophia could hear him speaking to someone in a hushed tone before closing the door. After a moment he appeared in the doorway looking very pleased with himself.

“Oh no Tom, what have you ordered this time? I think the baby has everything it could possibly want and more!” She looked at him in a disapproving yet playful way as he tilted his head down and pulled out the puppy dog eyes.

“...But I don’t think this one is for the baby...” He said giving her an enormous smile as he walked into the room carrying an expensive looking box.       

“This one is for you, my darling.” Tom handed Sophia a rectangular box which was tied with a beautiful silver bow as he sat down next to her on the sofa.

“Oh my goodness, Tom...what have you been up to?” She asked excitedly as she carefully untied the bow and lifted the lid off of the box. He sat watching with anticipation as she pulled back the tissue papered lining to reveal a beautiful royal blue grecian style dress. As she threw her hands to her mouth in shock, tears of joy filled her eyes at the sight of such an elegant dress. With the widest of smiles, she stood up to hold the dress against her to marvel in its beauty.

“Only the best for my girl, and of course Cinderella must have the most exquisite dress for the ball...or tonight’s premiere in this case.” She hugged him tightly before kissing him deeply on the lips and went off to get ready for that evening’s outing.     

 

Tom looked down at his watch, seeing it was already 5 o’clock as he noticed Clark, his driver, was outside waiting patiently to collect him outside the house.  Just at that moment Sophia emerged from her dressing room. She took her time as she made her way down the stairs in her dainty heels which were almost hidden beneath her floor length dress. It was the most beautiful shade of royal blue that matched her fair skin and eyes. The neckline of the dress was not like most other evening gowns. Not dipped down to be revealing but instead it was a modest subtle line of a silvery transparent material with small gemstones decorating the line of it.

Whilst the material of the dress itself flowed freely, which was perfect to sit over her baby bump. As she stepped into the lounge she saw Tom was already dressed in a tuxedo ready to go. She instantly blushed upon thinking how handsome he looked. Her mind began to consider the possibility of how much she would love to remove it from his well toned body, leaving it scattered across the floor whilst making full use of the sheepskin rug in front of the open fireplace. But alas, now was not the right time!

 

Seeing Sophia enter the room, Tom’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets in awe of how ravishingly beautiful the woman stood in front of him looked. His heart began to race and found he was staring uncontrollably with his mouth hung open for a few moments before he found his voice.  

“You look...incredible!” He managed to say, unable to take his eyes from her for a moment. Her cheeks blushed a deep crimson at his compliment as she walked across the large open plan lounge to him. He kissed her passionately for a long moment, before regaining himself ready for the job at hand.

“Darling, Clark is outside waiting so I need to head over there now. He’ll be coming back to collect you in a short while, if that’s ok?” He reassured her, feeling a little guilty that they weren’t going to be travelling together.

“That’s absolutely fine. Charlotte will be here any moment and we can have a chat while we wait.” She kissed him lightly on the lips as he turned towards the door.

“You look extremely handsome by the way, my love. You’ll have the interviewers and fangirls pining over you tonight!” She tried to sound casual about it all, although he knew she was still having reservations about their first public outing.

“Try to relax, everything will be fine. You don’t have to talk to anyone you don’t want to and I will be there with you.” He took her hand in his, kissing it softly before making his way to the door. Turning back he gave her the warmest of smiles and added,

“I love you both.” Before heading out of the front door and into the waiting car.

 

Leicester Square was a hive of activity as the press and the fans awaited Tom’s arrival. A little after 5:20pm the blacked out car pulled up at the edge of the red carpet.

As he stepped out of the car, the screams were deafening from the rows of people lining the impressive red carpet leading up to the cinema. Luke was soon at his side, pointing out where the paparazzi wanted him to stand for a photo opportunity before leading him towards the awaiting press as the ‘C’ list celebrities began arrive.

“We have about 45 minutes until we have to be inside, the press have been given a strict guideline on 3 questions each to allow time for you to sign for the fans.” Luke explained as the crowd went crazy, chanting Tom’s name.

“They are keen to ask you about Sophia and the baby so I hope you’re ready for it.” He added as they made their way up the carpet to the start of the press pen.

Seeing a group of fans he recognised, he quickly deviated over to sign a few autographs and pose for pictures before allowing Luke to do his job as they reached the first interviewer. Tom tried his best to keep the topic of conversation about the film as he made his way along the line but so many of the questions were about his relationship with Sophia which he, Luke and the management team had foreseen.

“So Tom, tell us about this mysterious woman who seems to have stolen your heart?” The pretty female interviewer asked in her northern Irish accent.

“Sophia is an incredible, warm and loving young woman who has made me very happy. We are extremely excited about the news of our little one who will be joining us very soon.” The thought of Sophia brought a smile to his face. Just then, Luke, who was at his side, leaned in and spoke quietly to tell him of Sophia’s arrival. Turning towards the line of cars, he could see Clark had stepped out of the car to open the door for Sophia. Making his excuses to the interviewer, he quickly made the short distance across the carpet just in time to help her out of the car. They exchanged a brief glance as she looked around, startled by the number of people now staring at them from all angles.

“Would you like to go straight in or do you feel up to joining me for a little while? There’s a lot of people here who have been asking to meet you.”  He asked, as Charlotte joined them from the other side of the car, passing Sophia her clutch bag.  The press photographers cameras were working overtime capturing the first images of the couple together, their flashes blinding as she looked up at him uncertainly.   

“It’s ok, try to relax.” He whispered as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. There was a collective “aww” from the crowd which made her blush with embarrassment. It all felt so surreal to her, but she knew this was important to Tom and so decided that it was only right to be by his side.

“I don’t mind joining you for a little while, until I get tired at least.” She replied giving him a warm, reassuring smile. Taking her hand in his, he led her back over to the female interviewer he’d previously been speaking to.

“Sorry about that, now where were we?!”He laughed.

“Tom, could you introduce our viewers to this beautiful woman on your arm?” The young Irish reporter asked as the cameraman pointed the lens at Sophia.

“This is my girlf…” He began, but as he spoke he looked down at Sophia who gave him a small nod in silent agreement that now seemed a good time to confirm their engagement.    

“...my fiancée, Sophia.” He smiled broadly, slipping his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.  

“Fiancée?” The interviewer asked puzzled looking backwards and forwards between the two of them before spotting the ring on Sophia’s finger.

“Can you tell us about when you popped the question?” She asked excitedly.

Sophia looked at Tom, letting him reply.

“I don’t want to go into too much detail, but we were away on holiday at the time and it was just perfect, especially as she said yes!” He grinned at her, lifting her hand to his lips and placing a kiss on the back of her hand.

“And Sophia, do you mind us asking when the baby is due?” The interviewer pressed for more personal details, but not wanting to give too much away she simply replied,

“In the new year.”

They then moved on to the next journalist, who was more than familiar to Tom. His name was Scott and he was from the online celebrity magazine that had first released the pictures of Sophia leaving Tom’s hotel all those months ago.    

“So, Tom, after denying the rumours of the two of you being together back in April, first published by ourselves here ‘STARwatch’, are you admitting that you lied to your fans about your relationship with Miss Russell?” He spat viciously at Tom. Sophia squeezed Tom’s hand and looked up at him uncertainly. . It was clear to both of them this was not going to be easy. Tom took a deep breath and stared at Scott.

“I wouldn’t lie to my fans Scott, they mean the world to me and have supported me through my career so far. My relationship with Sophia isn’t the concern of anyone else. We released a statement announcing our baby news so that we could be honest and open with the fans and so I hope that they, and the press, including yourselves at ‘STARwatch’ will provide us the privacy we deserve to now bring up our baby in private.”  

Before he had an opportunity to ask any more probing questions, Luke jumped in to move them on to the next interview and away from Scott.

“He’s not a pleasant guy at all.” Sophia whispered as Tom leaned in to kiss her on the cheek for reassurance.

“I know, sweetheart, but there shouldn’t be anymore like that.” He replied as he shot an extremely unimpressed look at Luke that said he was not at all happy that man had been allowed to put them in such a  difficult situation.    

Charlotte, who had been standing close by with Luke, watched on in awe as Tom and Sophia spoke to the press about their lives and the baby in the hope it would somehow lead to a little more privacy for them in the future. She looked around as more and more people arrived, ready to see the film, clutching their tickets as they excitedly made their way towards the cinema. It took her mind back to that night so many months ago now that she and Sophia had walked the carpet at the awards show, the night both their lives changed forever. In that moment, another memory of that evening came flooding back to her as she saw a familiar face further down the carpet.

Feeling an instant wave of panic wash over her, she looked around to see how many more interviews were left, in the hope that she could steal Sophia away to keep her company safely away from the lecherous Jonathan.

Turning to Luke, she put on her best face and suggested that it was starting to get a little cold and maybe Sophia would be better off going inside while Tom finished off the last few interviews. Luke nodded in agreement and leaned forward to relay the message to which she saw Tom look down at Sophia who was clearly shivering now and nodded to Luke in agreement. Once Sophia had finished speaking to the interviewer, who had been keen to ask her all about her pregnancy, Tom suggested that she, along with Charlotte head inside the cinema. She felt relieved at this, feeling as though the worst was over for the evening. Kissing her on the cheek as so not to ruffle too many feathers in front of the fans, she turned to Charlotte.

“Shall we go in?” Sophia asked, before noticing the look of relief on Charlotte’s face.

“Is everything ok? You don’t look so good.”

Looking around, trying to keep an eye on where he might be, Charlotte turned back to her friend.

“The night of the awards, something happened that I’ve never told you about,” She hesitated.

“Let’s go inside first though as it’s cold out here and I don’t want the world hearing my business.” Sophia felt a mixture of confusion and concern as she saw the apprehension on her best friend’s face. Nodding in agreement, the two made their way towards the entrance.

“Sophia! Sophia!” Looking around she heard her name being called out by someone in the crowd over to the right hand side. She looked at Charlotte, whose puzzled expression mirrored her own as they walked over towards a young woman whose pretty features were accentuated by her chestnut ringlets, who Sophia thought looked to be a similar age to herself, was standing at the barrier waving.

“Hi, thanks for coming over. I just wanted to give you this.” The young girl said, producing a gift bag which she handed to her.     

“My friend and I just wanted to let you know that not all of Tom’s fans are psychotic and some of us are very pleased for the two of you.” Taking the bag, Sophia saw that inside were gifts for the baby which included an incredibly sweet teddy bear. Sophia could barely hold back the tears as she became so overwhelmed by the kindness of this complete stranger.

“Oh my goodness, thank you so much, this is just so lovely of you!” Sophia beamed, leaning forwards to hug her.

“What’s your name?” She asked kindly.

“Jessica.” The girl replied.

“Have you and your friend been waiting here long?” Sophia asked, noticing that the girl was dressed in a thick winter coat with a scarf and gloves.

“Since about 3am.”  Sophia was shocked at the dedication of this individual fan who had camped out all day for just glimpse of Tom. Suddenly, Sophia had a thought, and she beckoned Charlotte forward, whispered something in her ear before Charlotte disappeared. A few moments later she reappeared, with Tom, and two tickets for the film in her hand which she’d managed to secure from Luke.

Sophia smiled as she saw Jessica’s face as Tom walked towards them. Sliding his arm around Sophia he looked to her for further guidance as to why she had called him over.

“Tom, this is Jessica. This lovely young lady has given us some gifts for the baby, how wonderful is that?” Tom smiled widely as he looked from Sophia, to the fan and then down to the bag in Sophia’s hand.

“Jessica that is so thoughtful of you, thank you.” Letting go of Sophia for a moment, he leant across and gave the young girl a hug which Sophia could see meant the world to her.  Stepping back, he slid back into his natural position close to Sophia.

“She’s also been here since very early this morning waiting to see you.” Sophia winked at Jessica.

“Well I just happen to have two spare tickets here,” He turned slightly as Charlotte slipped the tickets into his hand. “So maybe you and your friend would like to come in and see the film?” He asked, giving her his best Prince Charming smile.  Jessica’s face was now a mixture of shock and excitement as she reached to take the tickets from Tom.

“Thank you so much!” She exclaimed trying her best not to burst into tears.

“Jessica, do you have a camera and I can take a photo of you with Tom?” Sophia asked thoughtfully.

Turning to her very envious friend, Jessica took the camera and passed it to Sophia while Tom stepped closer to the barrier ready to pose for the picture. He also signed an autograph for each of the two girls before beginning to sign for more of the fans. Deciding to leave him to continue signing and talking to his fans, Sophia thanked Jessica once again for the gifts, smiling at her warmly before she and Charlotte began walking along the carpet once again.  As she looked over to Tom, he turned and gave her a warm smile,

“Thank you.” He mouthed silently, before turning back with a smile to continue signing for the fans.

 

Once inside, Sophia spotted a quiet corner to the side of the lobby where she and Charlotte could wait for Tom and Luke.

“So, what happened at the awards that has caused you to look like you’ve seen a ghost tonight?” Sophia asked, concerned for her friend.

“I had hoped I’d be able to forget about it and put it behind me but seeing someone here tonight has brought it all back for me.” She looked down at her hands, feeling embarrassed as the memories of that night came back to her.

             “Who? Who have you seen that’s here hun? Please tell me what’s happened so I can try and help.” Sophia put a reassuring hand on Charlotte’s arm.

“Good evening ladies.” A voice said from behind them. Turning to see who the voice belonged to, they were both equally appalled to see Jonathan stood in front of them with a cruel twisted smile across his face.

“I’m sorry but we are in the middle of something.” Sophia replied sharply, turning back to Charlotte, who had gone white as a sheet.

“Now now Sophie...that’s no way to talk to an old friend now is it?”Jonathan stepped closer, draping his arm around Sophia’s neck and pulling her close to him. Charlotte stood dumbfounded at the scene that was unfolding, unable to comprehend as to how her best friend could possibly know the very man that attacked her the night of the awards.

“It’s Sophia, thank you. And you are very much NOT a friend of mine. I’d like you to leave now please.” She said in a controlled tone, deliberately not making eye contact with him as she swept his arm off of her shoulders.

“...And I see you wasted no time with that pathetic actor.” He gestured towards Sophia’s bump and scoffed.

He turned to look at Charlotte, who, until now had been silent.

“What about you sweetheart, I’m sure you’re pleased to see me at least?” He remarked as he began running his boney fingers down charlotte’s bare arm. Charlotte flinched at his touch, taking a step back away from his reach.

“I think you should leave,” Demanded Sophia “NOW, before I call security over.”

Jonathan’s malicious grin never faulted as he looked back and forth between the two of them, deciding which he was going to make his next victim. At that moment, Tom and Luke entered the lobby. Seeing the two young women, who appeared to have been cornered by that lowlife waste of space angered Tom, who had once before had to warn him off of Sophia.

“Tom, thank goodness. We are ready to go in now.” Sophia said matter of factly, taking his arm and leading him away, hoping Charlotte and Luke were following them. Jonathan stood alone in the lobby, angry that yet again that little bitch had got the upper hand on him.  

 

Coming to a stop just outside the entrance to the cinema screen which would be showing his film, Tom turned to Sophia.

“Sweetheart, I have to introduce the film on the stage before it starts, will you be ok to find your seat with Charlotte and Luke?”

“Of course,” she smiled sweetly, reaching up to place a kiss on his lips before straightening his bow tie “I’m so proud of you.”  

Pulling her close to him, he kissed her softly.

“I love you so much.” He placed a final kiss on her forehead before holding the door open for her.

“I love you too.” She replied, not wanting to let go of his hand as she stepped inside the screening room.

 

The young usher showed Sophia, Charlotte and Luke to their seats, half way back from the screen the usher informed them, for optimum viewing.

Luke filed in first, followed by Charlotte and Sophia, leaving the seat on the end of the row empty for Tom to join them.

They settled into their seats, taking full advantage of the complimentary concessions provided by the cinema. Leaning closely so not to be overheard, Sophia dropped her voice as she questioned Charlotte about the earlier incident in the lobby.

“The guy who approached us earlier, had you met him before?” She asked. Charlotte hesitated, before subtly nodding in reply.     

“The night of the awards, at the after party. He cornered me…” She began in a whisper, terrified Luke would hear her. She stopped to look over to see he was busy on his phone so she continued.

“...I won’t go into detail but let's just say he is a disgusting human being who I never want to see again.” Sophia couldn’t believe her ears.

“I met him that night as well. When I left you guys to get a drink, he used his charm to get me alone and pounced on me. Thankfully, Tom came along just at the right moment and saved me from that opportunist. From what Tom tells me, Jonathan, as he’s known, has a reputation for intimidating young women into precarious situations.”

“Someone should do something about him.” Charlotte whispered, feeling her anger for that despicable man rising. Sophia nodded in agreement as cheers and applause began around them as the host for the evening came out on to the stage at the front of the room. Introducing himself as Simon to the collective of journalists and excited fans alike, he then  went on to ask everyone to welcome Tom to the stage to talk a little about the film.

For the next ten minutes, Tom discussed his pleasure in having been apart of such an exquisite film and his experiences working with the talented Tilda Swinton and the rest of the cast. He expressed his joy in portraying true love, which is something, he shared, that is close to his heart. At that moment he looked up into the audience to where Sophia was sitting, smiling widely at the sight of his beautiful girl.     

It wasn’t long before the lights were dimmed and the opening credits began. Moments later Tom creeped up the steps to join Sophia, kissing her lightly and taking her hand into his, entwining their fingers.  Sophia found the film fascinating as she watched intently, seeing her beloved Tom as a depressed 900 year old vampire who’s true love, Eve was the other side of the world and seeing them come together in a truly alluring tale of true love. Sophia couldn’t help feel a prang of jealousy on the odd occasion seeing Tom in all his glory on the big screen, having to remind herself it is just acting and nothing actually happened between them. She did however enjoy admiring his physical form within those scenes to which she made a mental note to hold her own compare and contrast when they got home!

At the end of the film the audience clapped and cheered, showing their appreciation of the beautiful film.

      

 

The afterparty was held in a enchanting converted church, with spectacular gothic architecture and mood lighting, creating the perfect setting. Tom and Sophia arrived shortly after 10 o’clock to an already crowded room of press and industry people just dying to have their five minutes with the man of the moment. Sophia, who was feeling a little tired, opted to sit at a quiet table with Charlotte whilst letting Tom mingle. He assured her he would come to check on her, ensuring should she say the word and they would call it a night. Not wanting to cut short his big night, she wore her best “absolutely fine” smile to stop him from fretting too much.

Charlotte had been pondering over their encounter with Jonathan earlier that evening and looked around nervously, wondering if he’d have the audacity to turn up to the party.   

“I’m just going to nip to the bathroom, will you be ok for a few moments?” Charlotte asked as she stood up from the table.

“Sure, would you mind stopping by the bar on your way back?” Sophia asked looking down at her now empty glass.

“Same again?” Charlotte looked around the room absentmindedly as she awaited her friend’s answer.

“Yeah, sure, that would be great. I do rather miss having the odd glass of rosé.” She said, feeling a little jealous of everyone else laughing and joking after one too many drinks.

“You don’t need to have alcohol to have a good time, hun,” Charlotte turned back to look at Sophia, who seemed a little down tonight.

“However, I’m sure this dry spell will be more than worthwhile for you at the end of it.” This seemed to cheer her up a little as she happily began to cradle her baby bump with a tired smile.

 

Making her way across the room, Charlotte spotted Luke through the crowd, standing just away from Tom as he mingled with the party guests. Managing to catch his eye, she mouthed “I love you” to which he gave her a warm but tired smile before reciprocating it back to her.

She continued towards the bathrooms which appeared to be down a set of dimly lit stairs leading to what looked like a basement of some kind. As she got halfway down she heard footsteps behind her. Deciding if to look behind her, she could feel her heart pounding ten to the dozen within her chest. Turning back she was relieved to see one of the male party goers just a few steps behind her. Giving him a small smile, she turned back to continue down the final few steps to the bottom. It wasn’t until she reached the last step that she saw the solitary figure standing in the shadows, waiting for her, until it was too late.    

   

“I thought you were never going to get away from her.” The smug voice said from the darkness.

“Leave me alone.” She retorted, walking quickly past him towards the ladies bathroom.

“You know I can’t do that, We have unfinished business you and I.” Stepping out of the shadows, Jonathan’s face was now illuminated by what little light was filtering down from the floor above.

“I have nothing further to say to you, please leave me alone.” Charlotte wasn’t sure where this new found confidence was coming from but she hoped it lasted. As he went to grab her arm she turned and lifted her knee, straight in between his thighs making him scream out in pain. She looked down her nose at him as he was doubled over in agony,

“Stay away from me and from Sophia...and any other woman, come to think of it you vile little man.”

Charlotte pushed open the door to the ladies and walked inside without looking back, her head held high.  

 

 

To be continued...


	20. Chapter 20

Since their arrival at the after party, Tom had been working his way around the room, networking with the various journalists whilst informally selling the film to them. He felt tired as he looked at his watch to see it was after midnight. Realising he’d not once had a chance to check in with Sophia, he excused himself and made his way over to the table in the corner where he had left her a couple of hours earlier. He slid into the vacant seat next to her,

“I’m sorry darling, I got caught up for longer than I expected.”  He leaned in and kissed her cheek. Studying her in more detail he could see she didn’t seem herself. Draping his arm around her shoulder, he gently pulled her into him so that she could cuddle up closer.

“You look tired sweetheart, shall we head home?” He said quietly, so only she could hear.

“But what about all these people, they’re here for you? Don’t you need to stay and speak to them all?” She asked concerned

“The only thing I need to do is look after you, I’ve abandoned you for long enough tonight.” He gently stroked her cheek as her eyes became heavy.   

Tom called over to Luke, who was sat on the other side of the table in deep conversation with Charlotte.

“Luke, Can you call Clark, ask him to bring the car around to the front please?” Luke nodded, taking his phone out of his pocket and dialling.

A few minutes later Luke’s phone rang, announcing that Clark was now outside.

Making their way out into the cold night air, Sophia shivered, rubbing her hands up and down her arms in an attempt to keep warm. In a matter of seconds she felt the warmth of Tom’s jacket slide over her shoulders. Sliding his arm around her waist he guided her to the car, trying to avoid the paparazzi.

During the journey home Sophia curled up to Tom, drifting off in the comfort of his arms. Watching her sleep, he thought of how different his life had become since meeting her. Opening up his heart to her, she had shown him a side of himself he had all but forgotten, whilst enriching his life with a love he thought had all but passed him by. Knowing he was going to spend the rest of his life with this kind, sweet young woman brought a smile to his face.

 

 

“Tom, are you finished packing? Clark will be here in less than an hour to take us to the airport.” Sophia called up the stairs from the hallway as she made her way through into the lounge.

It wasn’t long before she heard him coming down the stairs, carrying his exceedingly large suitcase for his latest trip to a small town in Louisiana, where he would be filming a biopic of the life of country star Hank Williams.  

Feeling a sadness in the pit of her stomach, she buried it deep down so not to show any signs to her beloved Tom just how much she was going to miss him.  She knew the six weeks he was going to be away would be difficult enough for him without knowing how much it was already effecting her. Smiling widely as he entered the room, she painted a mental image of his handsome face so into her mind desperately hoping it would somehow stop her from missing him as much as she knew she would.

“Maybe you should stay here and rest sweetheart, you don’t need to come to the airport to see me off.”  He said, as she struggled to get herself up off the sofa.

“I want to come and see you off, unless you’d rather I didn’t?” She said sadly, sitting back down.

Sitting down besides her, he took her hands in his.

“My beautiful Sophia, I love you more than life itself, and knowing I am not going to wake up next to you each morning is tearing me apart but I would love nothing more than for yours to be the last face I see before I leave.” He kissed her softly, but as their kiss lingered the passion fired between the two of them. Pulling away, he stared into her eyes, the feeling that he could be lost within them forever.  

There was a knock at the door, which brought the two of them back to the moment at hand.

“That’ll be Clark.” Tom sighed, kissing her forehead before he got to his feet.  

 

The drive to the airport was quicker than either of them would have liked, no traffic to delay them, giving them just a few more minutes in each other’s company.

Making their way hand in hand through the terminal, they soon found the check-in desk for his flight. Depositing his case, Tom collected his ticket before they headed to towards security.

“This is as far as they will let me go.” Sophia said sadly, looking over to the security guard who was directing passengers through the x-ray machines.    

“I’ll call you the moment I land my darling, I promise.” He forced a smile to his lips as he looked down at her. Taking her into his arms he brought her lips to his, kissing her with all of the love he possessed.

“I will be home soon my love.” And with that he stepped back and turned towards the line, unable to look back at her. The silent tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched him cross through the scanner, collect his watch from the other side and walking into the departure lounge.

Sophia slowly made her way back to the car and climbed in. Clark could see she was upset and not wanting to upset her further, he pulled out into the traffic without speaking a word.  

 

The house seemed so much quieter with him gone, and so Sophia began to find things to occupy her time. She’d planned to keep herself busy unpacking the rest of the parcels that had been delivered over the last few weeks for the baby.

Sitting herself down in the rocking chair within the nursery, she couldn’t help but think of adding some blue to the room now that they knew their little Peanut was a boy. The first box she opened contained a bouncer which was a mixture of beiges and browns to match its teddy bear design. Lifting it out of the box she found three soft toys that attached to the bar for helping with hand to eye co-ordination along with a soft bear head hugger which would cradle the baby. Reading through the instructions she was surprised to see it was also musical

“He really had thought of everything for our baby!” She thought to herself.

Opening the next box she found a number of smaller items, including a small teddy bear nightlight that would attach to his crib, a musical mobile and a set of rattles.

 

A short while later and she had set up most of the baby’s new things around the nursery but still felt as though it needed a little something. Looking round at the walls they felt a little plain so she decided she would do some research into stencils or pictures to add some decoration to the room. Just then, she heard the house phone ring from the master bedroom. Leaving the nursery and walking through to her own room, she picked up the cordless phone,

“Hello?” She answered in a nervous voice

“Hey beautiful.” Hearing his familiar tone instantly relaxed her.

“I’m missing you so much” She replied, desperately holding back her tears.

 

“I know baby, the weeks will fly by I promise. I can’t talk for long as we have a full cast read through of the script this morning, costume fittings this afternoon before we begin filming the day after tomorrow.” Tom explained, sounding excited about his busy first few days on set.

“It sounds as though you’ve got a lot going on, so if you need to go I understand.” She tried to be as supportive as she could, whilst all the time hearing the sound of his voice made her miss him even more.

“I will soon, but I just wanted to make sure you were ok, I don’t like the thought of you being there alone.” He couldn’t help but worry, being away for so long and in the run up to the  final few weeks before the baby was due.  

“I don’t think I will be alone for long, my mum called last night to check up on me, and has offered to come and stay for a couple of weeks.” Sophia couldn’t help but pull a slightly unimpressed face as she spoke.

“You know, your mum would be really upset if she could see you right now!” He said, knowing exactly what she was doing, even whilst he was thousands of miles away.

Sophia laughed out loud, which felt really good. She felt like it had been forever since she had heard the sound of her own laugher.    

“That’s my favourite sound,” He said, grinning to himself.

“Hearing you laugh has brightened up my day, my darling.”

They spoke for a few more moments before Tom finally had to say his goodbyes, promising to call again the following day.

 

“Mum, it’s so good to see you,” Sophia smiled as she opened the front door.

“Did you bring the kitchen sink as well?” She laughed seeing the size of her mum’s suitcase.  

Hugging her daughter tightly,  Kate was amazed at how well Sophia was looking in her final trimester. Settling down with a well needed cup of tea the two of them enjoyed a well overdue catch up.

“So, have you heard from Tom since he arrived out there?” Kate asked.

“He tries to call everyday, but now filmings’ started he’s on set for long periods of time so he I know he’s tired a lot. I just look forward to hearing from him, I haven’t had a whole lot to do since he’s been gone.” Sophia looked down into her cup, her mind wandering to not just what he was upto but who he was spending his time with.

“Sophia, you are ok?” Upon hearing her mother’s concerned tone, she turned to look at her.

“Yeah mum, I’m fine.” She lied, not wanting to admit the fears that deep down had been haunting her since she’d first learnt of Tom’s co-star. Although fairly unknown to most moviegoers, the pretty mousy-blonde actress was about to spend the next five weeks playing the part of Tom’s onscreen wife, which was something Sophia couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of.

 

Making the most of their time together, Sophia and Kate spent their first few days together visiting many of the popular tourist attractions around London, which since moving to the capital Sophia hadn’t yet found the time to see.  They also enjoyed evenings out at the theatre, seeing a selection of plays and musicals whilst eating out in at a variety of fine dining restaurants of all types of cuisines.

As wonderful as it was to have company again, Sophia had begun to find her mother’s interfering comments about the way she ran the house, her choices in where and how she bought her groceries which according to her mum should be purchased at the supermarket and not through the internet. Kate also found choice words about her daughter’s determination to continue exercising and going to the gym throughout her pregnancy.

“But mum, it’s good for me. The doctor suggested that I should keep up my jogging and exercising for as long as I can, as it keeps a good circulation of blood and fresh oxygen into the baby.” Sophia explained.

Kate had also felt it acceptable to share with her daughter her aversion of how she and Tom had chosen to decorate the nursery.

“Well it’s not the colour I would have chosen for the room but I guess it’s your choice.” Kate said bluntly one afternoon as she found Sophia within the nursery painting the walls with small animated bears, similar to those on the soft furnishings they had chosen for the crib. Sophia had to hold in her annoyance at her mother’s frankness,

But it was the continuous snide remarks whenever she and Tom had spoken on the phone that played on Sophia’s mind and upset her the most. Hoping for her mother’s support during this time away from her beloved Tom, who she was struggling to be apart from for so long.   

“So he’s not forgotten you today then?” Kate remarked as Sophia walked back into the kitchen one afternoon, after a short but sweet telephone call before Tom had been called back to set.

“They are filming all hours of the day and night mum, and what with the five hour time difference it’s hard for him to talk for long.” She struggled to keep her voice calm as she held in her irritation.  

There had also been reports leaked from the set of the closeness between Tom and his co-star, with pictures of the two of them walking arm in arm between takes as well as having been spotted out for dinner together in the small and sleepy town of Shreveport. Tom had of course denied that there was anything between them and in actual fact most of the cast had been out for dinner together the night the photos had been taken. However, it had been something Sophia had been unable to forget, and as her current emotional state of mind was less predictable, found she was becoming more and more irritable each time she spoke to him.

 

After spending most of the day walking around the shops of central london with her mum, Sophia had decided on a long soak in the bath to help her try to relax and unwind. Curling up on Tom’s side of the bed, his aftershave still lingering on the pillow, she fell into a deep sleep. Around midnight the phone rang out loudly from the bedside table bringing her round with a start.

“Hello?” She said sleepily, switching on the bedside lamp.

“Hey darling. I’m sorry, did I wake you?” The welcome sound of his voice brought a lump to her throat as she could feel the tears building up.

“It’s alright, I always love to hear from you. How was your day?” She asked, sliding up the bed into a sitting position, pulling the duvet up around her.

“It’s been a really long day on set but we’ve just stopped for a break before we start the next scenes.” He explained happily.

“Sweetheart, do you want red or white wine?” Came a soft female voice from Tom’s end of the call. Sophia’s breath caught in her throat as a million and one thoughts ran through mind.

“Tom, who’s there with you?” She asked cautiously, not entirely sure if she wanted the answer to her question.

“Erm, it’s just Liz, we’re just grabbing something to eat…” He began

“With wine?” She interjected in a questioning tone.

“Soph, are you ok?” Tom asked concerned.

“Oh yeah, why wouldn’t I be, when you’re sharing a cosy dinner for two with your "sweetheart" co-star whilst your heavily pregnant fiancée is thousands of miles away waiting for you back home?” She said curtly. Unable to continue the conversation without the tears overflowing, she hung up the phone. Instantly, the phone rang again but she unplugged it from the wall. Turning over she switched off the light and went back to sleep.

 

To be continued...


	21. Chapter 21

Sophia woke late the next morning, feeling undoubtedly less tired than she had before her mind and body had eventually succumbed to exhaustion, at some point during the early hours.

Her tear stained pillow had muffled her sobs, in the hope that her mother would not hear as she had laid there in the dark, crying uncontrollably.

She’d wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that he loved her and their unborn child unconditionally, but each time she felt the smallest glimmer of hope as she tried to recall happy moments of their short time together, the realisation that she had lost him would set in once again.

Her mind had began to taunt her, over and over as she wept. Visualising the most graphic of images of Tom and whatsherface which seemed so heartbreakingly real as she laid there alone in their bed. She began picturing the two of them together in his hotel room, in his trailer between takes, unable to keep their hands off of each other amidst the throes of passion, with no thought to Sophia as he gave himself to another in the most intimate of ways. She tried desperately to block out the cruel sound of them laughing at her naivety, that he had ever wanted her to begin with, that he was only with her because of the baby. As her hormones raged on, she realised that she would become a single mother, homeless and jobless, after having given everything up to be with him. After having cried the countless number of tears that had streamed down her burning cheeks, she had finally allowed herself to be overcome by sleep.

She lay silently now in the darkened room, thin streams of light seeping around the edges of the bedroom curtains as she woke, curled up on Tom’s side of the bed. Breathing in the traces of his distinct cologne that were woven within the fabric of his pillow, leaving her with a heavy heart this morning as her memories of her telephone call with him the night before came flooding back.   

Reaching over to her mobile phone which had been on silent all night, she found a dozen missed calls and numerous voicemails, all from Tom waiting for her. Not feeling quite ready to face speaking to him just yet, she climbed out of bed and slipped on her satin kimono and made her way out onto the landing. As she headed down the stairs she heard hushed voices coming from the kitchen. Stepping into the room, she was surprised to find her mum sitting at the dining table drinking a mug of freshly brewed coffee, and talking to a very tired looking Tom.

Bewildered by the scene in front of her, Sophia looked backwards and forwards between the two of them before turning around and leaving room. She heard the sound of a chair scrape along the floor behind her which was soon followed by heavy footsteps as Tom crossed the kitchen, following her through the hallway and into the lounge. There was a deafening silence for a moment before either of them spoke.

“Don’t I even get a hello?” He asked, the hurt evident in his voice.

“That depends, have you come home to convince me you’re not sleeping with her?” She couldn’t bring herself to look at him as she stood gazing out of the french windows holding back her tears.

Walking up behind her, he gently stroked her arms but at the feel of his fingertips on her skin she flinched and stepped forwards out of his grasp.

“Sophia, please. You can’t be serious? You don’t seriously believe any of these rumours?” Tom threw up his hands in frustration and began pacing the room.

He came to a halt in front of the fireplace, letting out a deep sigh as he a framed picture of the two of them caught his eye which had been taken on the day of their engagement, one of the happiest days of his life. Turning on the sound system, Tom scrolled through its memory to find the song he knew would remind her of just how much she meant to him.   

She continued to stare out across the garden, watching the rain beat down against the window as the opening bars to Jason Mraz’s ‘I Won’t Give Up’ softly began to play through the speakers in each corner of the room. Tears silently flowed down her cheeks as she remembered the night they had met, slow dancing to this song within the privacy of the penthouse suite.

“She’s just a colleague,”  He began, in a low, shallow voice that barely sounded like him at all as he came to stand tentatively at her side.

“That’s all it is. There’s nothing else going on between us. You mean the world to me Sophia, you both do.” She soothed her hands naturally across her bump hearing him refer to their unborn baby.  

Sophia’s head was spinning as she tried to come to some sort of conclusion, wanting desperately to believe him, but the images of the two of them together played heavily on her mind once again.

She stood quietly listening to the all too familiar lyrics of the song, unable to bring herself to look at him through her sadness and feelings of betrayal.

_‘I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily, I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make. Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use the tools and gifts we got, we got a lot at stake...’_

“Sophia, I love you and I want to marry you, why would I jeopardize everything we have together?” He asked. Sophia began to sob uncontrollably as she looked down to see that he was holding the picture of their latest scan in his hand. Seeing her so distraught brought his own tears to the surface and without a second thought, he enveloped her into his arms and held her tightly. As she continued to weep into his cotton white shirt, she was unaware of his own tears which were silently sliding down his cheeks.

After a few moments, he felt the heavy gasps from her heartbreaking sobs slowly ease.

Gently lifting her chin up so that her eyes met his, he held her gaze before he began to speak.   

     “I promise you baby, you are the most important woman in my life and I love you so much.” He took a deep breath before continuing.

“I know this has all been so hard on you, with me being so far away and now the rumours as well and I’m sorry. I can guarantee you though princess that it’s all just acting. I will have to spend long hours with her, as there’s a certain amount of familiarity required between our characters to come across as a believable married couple on screen, but I have no interest in her romantically.” His eyes watched her for a moment as she thought about everything he had said, wanting so much to believe him. After a few moments of contemplation, she gave him a loving smile, letting him know that she believed all that he had said.

“I am yours and you are mine.” He added, kissing her with every ounce of love and devotion he’d ever felt for her.  

They spent the rest of the day quietly together, watching movies and enjoying each other’s company. The following day, after a whirlwind visit, it was time for Tom to head back to the Louisiana.

Filming continued for several more weeks, with long days and even some night shoots but it didn’t stop Tom from making sure he found the time to call Sophia everyday.  

“Hey Darling, how are you feeling today? Is little Peanut still keeping you awake at night?” Tom asked, as he dressed ready for his final night of filming.  

“He’s definitely going to be a footballer with these kicking skills, that’s for sure!” She laughed, rubbing her extremely swollen and sore belly.

“We’ll be wrapping up here tonight so I’ll be definitely on a flight home to you tomorrow.” He said happily.     

“I can’t wait to see you, I’ve missed you so much.” She beamed with happiness at thought of being back in his arms once again.

  
  


Turning up the collar of his winter coat in an attempt to block out the icy wind, Tom made his way along Oxford street in search of the perfect Christmas present. After spending his first few days back at home relaxing with Sophia, he’d decided it was time to venture out. Central London was busy with festive shoppers, making it easier for him to blend into the crowd as he headed towards Selfridges.

Entering the bustling store, he looked around, trying to decide where to start. With a few ideas up his sleeve, made his way through the perfume counters towards the handbag department. Last time they had visited the store together, Sophia had fallen in love with a cornflower blue Mulberry shoulder bag, which, luckily for him, they still had in stock. Having the bag neatly gift wrapped, he then moved on to the jewelry department, picking up a few gifts for his mum and sisters before making his way back out into the cold and on to the next port of call on his list of shops to visit, wanting to spoil his special girl for their first Christmas together.

    “Shall we dress the tree this afternoon?” Sophia asked, as she and Tom sat down for lunch shortly after he had returned from his spontaneous shopping trip.  

“Absolutely! I can’t believe you waited for me to get home!” He said surprised but secretly pleased.

“I thought it would be more special if we decorated the tree together with it being our first one as a couple.” She smiled as he took her hand in his as they sat opposite each other at the dining table.

“You finish off in here and I’ll bring the tree down from the spare room.” He suggested.

“That sounds like a plan to me.” She replied excitedly.

Carrying the heavy box containing the tree and placing it in the middle of the room, Tom smiled as he heard Christmas songs coming from the stereo. Looking over to Sophia she smiled happily,

“It seemed appropriate to have some songs playing while we make the house feel more Christmas-y.” She beamed with excitement.

“Where do you think the tree will look best, in front of the window at the front or by the French doors?” He asked, giving Sophia the deciding vote. She pondered for a moment, looking at both ends of the room in turn.

“I think in front of the window.”  She said, pointing to the far side of the room, overlooking out on to the street. Tom disappeared out of the room, returning moments later with a box of decorations.

“I’m very impressed Mr Hiddleston, you’re very domesticated for a bachelor.” She couldn’t help but giggle at his mock hurt face.

“I’ll have you know I love Christmas, so I do this every year, but it’s even better having someone to share it with!” Placing the box down on the ground, he slipped his hands around her waist from behind and hugged her tightly. He placed his hands on her enormous bump as he softly kissed her cheek.

“I feel like all my Christmases have come at once, now I have the two of you.” His smile lit up his handsome features, radiating his happiness. Tucking his chin into the crease of her neck, he kissed her cheek once again.

“I know sweetheart, I feel exactly the same.” She replied contentedly.   

“Where shall we start?” She exclaimed, looking at the foreboding box of ornaments and tinsel.

“I always start with the lights and take it from there.” He said, smiling so wide he looked like a small child ready to burst with excitement.      

Taking out the fairy lights, they began to unravel them before draping them around the tree from top to bottom. Tom brought one of the dining chairs through for Sophia to sit on so that she could begin adding decorations to the tree.

As Bing Crosby’s _‘White Christmas’_ began to play out around the room, Tom couldn’t help but croon along as he hung an intricately handpainted gold bauble from a branch towards the top of the tree.

“I love hearing you sing.” She looked up at him lovingly, feeling happier than she ever thought possible.  

“AHH!” Sophia doubled over in pain, clutching her bump.

“Sophia?!” Tom turned abruptly, dropping to his knees beside her panic stricken. 

“It’s OK,” she managed to say, barely able to catch her breath.

“He’s just giving me a really rough time right now.” He took her hand, squeezing it tightly.

“Maybe he’ll be making a surprise visit sooner than we think.” Tom suggested, a mixture of contentment and concern.

Sophia raised her hands to his flushed cheeks, brushing her fingers gently along his chiseled jawline.

“Hopefully not just yet though, I’d rather like to enjoy our first Christmas just the two of us.” She leaned forwards and placed a soft kiss on his lips, nipping playfully at his lower lip.  

 

To be continued...

 


	22. Chapter 22

 

It was Christmas Eve, Sophia and Tom had arranged to meet Charlotte and Luke for dinner to exchange Christmas gifts, to also celebrate Charlotte's birthday along with Luke's, which had been just two days before. As the car drove along the familiar sights of Regent Street and into Piccadilly Circus, Sophia stared out in wonder at the array of Christmas lights and decorations lining the streets above them.

   Arriving into a quaint little cobbled street, tucked away in the stylish district of Covent Garden, the car came to halt outside their favourite restaurant.  Tom jumped out and made his way around the car to open the door for Sophia, helping her to ease herself out on to her feet. She felt the size of a house as she waddled up to the glass entrance hand in hand with Tom, who stepped forwards to open the door for her. She couldn’t help but smile at this wonderful man, whose chivalrous and gentlemanly ways made her feel so special.

Making their way through the enchanting cosy restaurant, Tom couldn’t help but reminisce of holidays gone by in Italy and the south of France as he felt so at home in the familiar interior which echoed the charming country inns of Tuscany and Provence. With its warm decor, low lighting and welcoming log fire, it was easy to see why it was their favourite place to come to eat out.

 

They found Luke and Charlotte already waiting for them at their usual table, which was set within a picturesque interior courtyard towards the back of the restaurant. The ceiling opened up into a skylight, surrounded with twining and flower-starred branches to give a faux-rural atmosphere.

“Happy birthday sweetheart!” Sophia announced, hugging Charlotte as they reached the table.

They enjoyed a quiet meal just the four of them, laughing and joking, sharing stories from their lives.

“...It wasn’t as though anyone could keep up with you either,” Charlotte proclaimed,

“I’d never seen anyone down so many sambuca shots in one go!” She couldn’t stop laughing at the memory of the night she and Sophia had met as freshers during their first night at university. Tom and Luke looked in mock horror at each other.

“It wasn’t as bad as it sounds, there were plenty of nights where we stayed in and actually studied!” Sophia tried desperately to explain away her drunken antics.  

“I’m seeing a whole new side to you now,” Exclaimed Tom, turning to look at Sophia, his face serious,

“...and I'm not quite sure I should be marrying such a party animal.” He could see the panic in her eyes, until he gave her a cheeky smile to let her know that he was just teasing.

“That’s not funny!” She laughed, playfully tapping him on the arm.

“Don’t worry Sophia,” Luke said, “Tom has a few skeletons in his closet too!” He joked, winking at her. Tom looked at Luke, shaking his head,

“Oh, I don’t think she wants to hear about any of that.” Tom responded quickly, a little too quickly in Sophia’s mind.

“Don’t worry darling, I don’t need to know.” She said sliding her hand on top of his and squeezing it reassuringly. Just as she spoke she looked at Luke, and in a hushed voice she added jokingly,

“You can tell me all about it later!”

 

The evening had given them all the opportunity to relax and let off some steam.

Tom looked to Sophia, giving her a subtle glance to which she reciprocated with a raise of her eyebrows in agreement.  

“We have something we’d like to ask you both,” Sophia began, as she looked from Luke to Charlotte.

“Tom and I value you both as two of our closest friends. We owe you both so much for bringing the two of us together. We’d like to repay that gratitude a little to you both, by asking if you would agree to be our little Peanut’s godparents?” Charlotte and Luke were overjoyed at their request and immediately agreed. There were hugs all round as the two couples exchanged their excitement of the imminent arrival.  

“It won’t be long now we don’t think,” Tom explained

“He’s due around the 13th January, but it could be sooner than we first anticipated as he’s already been turned for a few weeks, so it could be anytime now.” He couldn’t help but smile broadly at the thought of his son’s imminent arrival.

“I just hope he can hang on a little bit longer, the less premature he is the better chance he stands of being fit and healthy, which is the most important thing.” Sophia added apprehensively.

“I’m sure with your genes,” Charlotte said, looking between the two of them “he’s going to be little fighter, no matter what.” She smiled reassuringly at Sophia.

“We can’t wait to meet him now that’s for sure.” Tom put one arm around Sophia’s shoulder, whilst leaning in to place a hand on her bump.

 

At the end of what had been a wonderful evening, they said their goodnights to the friendly owners who they now knew by name and made their way out into the cold night air. Wrapped up warmly in their winter coats as the first flakes of snow began to fall, Tom pulled Sophia into his arms and kissed her softly. She couldn’t help but smile to herself at how lucky she felt to be with the most kind and loving man she’d ever known.

Clark had soon arrived to collect them, detouring on the way home to drop off Luke and Charlotte. It was late now and Sophia was more than ready for bed as they pulled up outside the house. Helping her out of the car and slowly up the front steps, Tom couldn’t help but feel a little excited about the surprise he had in store for his beautiful girl waiting inside.

“Shall we go through to the lounge before bed, sweetheart?” He asked, opening the front door.

“I was thinking of just going straight to bed, I’m feeling so tired after tonight.” She replied sleepily.

“OK my darling, would you mind just looking to see if I left my phone charger in there whilst I get a glass of water?” He asked, trying to keep his voice casual. She looked at him, rolling her eyes before walking through to the lounge. Turning on the main lights within the room, she was shocked to see a large box sitting on the coffee table, wrapped in Christmas paper with an enormous pink bow sitting on the top.

“Where did this come from?” She said surprised, standing stock still in the doorway, staring at the parcel.

“It must have been delivered whilst we were out.” Tom said grinning as he came to stand behind her.

“It has a label on it, look,” He pointed to a large tag hanging from the top

“Why don’t you see what it says?” Stepping forwards, Sophia saw in surprise her own name written on the label in large letters.

“For me?!” She exclaimed, fascinated as to how this present had arrived whilst they had been out for dinner.

“Well if it has your name on it, maybe you should open it.” Tom suggested.

“But it’s not Christmas until we’ve been to sleep.” She explained, her mind instantly remembering all the times as a child she’d begged her mum and Steve to let her open a present before she went to bed on Christmas eve.

“Well I think this one will be alright to open.” He replied, smiling lovingly at her as she contemplated opening it.

“Oh, well, ok then!” She clapped her hands together in excitement. Tom let out a laugh at her child-like response.

Removing the lid of the box, Sophia was in shock as she stared down at the tiny ball of fluff that sat looking back at her. Jumping up and down in excitement, the lightly coloured cocker spaniel puppy began a chorus of soft high pitched yaps until Tom placed his hands inside the box to pick her up. Licking him affectionately, the puppy wriggled playfully as he held her out to Sophia.  

“Oh, Tom she’s beautiful!” Sophia cooed, stroking her from head to tail.

“Thank you so much, she’s just perfect!” Gently sliding her hands under the puppy, Sophia held the latest addition to their family close to her chest, stroking her softly.

“I’m so pleased you like her. I wanted you and the baby to have some company whilst I’m away filming and knew you would love her the moment I saw her.” He kissed his wife-to-be in a passionate embrace before turning his attention to the little bundle of fur who was now reaching up to Sophia’s face and licking her excitedly.

“What are you going to call her?” He asked, stroking the puppy behind her long floppy ears, which instantly made her nuzzle his hands with her nose.

“I don’t know! It's been hard enough deciding on names for the baby.” Sophia responded, looking quizzical. After a few moments of stroking the unnamed puppy, she looked up at Tom.

“I think I might call her Cookie.” She said, looking down at the darker brown patches on her light coloured fur. Before he could respond, the puppy jumped up and down in Sophia’s arms excitedly.

“Well, she seems to like it, so I think that’s settled, Cookie it is.” He smiled warmly. Tom headed out of the lounge, returning a few moments later with a small round furry dog bed and some newspaper under his arm.  

“I have a bed for her already so she can sleep in here tonight, and this…” He took the newspaper and opened it up, laid it out on the wooden floor in front of Cookie’s new bed,

“...is in case she has any accidents in the night.” He explained.

“I can’t leave her down here on her own, she’ll get lonely.” Sophia exclaimed, holding the puppy close to her chest, protectively.

“Soph’ she’ll be fine. We can hardly take her to bed with us. What if she makes a mess?” He asked, seeing her questioning face.

“I guess you’re right.” Sophia reluctantly passed her over to Tom to settle her down in the basket, being unable to bend too far forward due to her size.

They switched off the lights and closed the door to the lounge, leaving Cookie alone.

 

Before they had even reached the top of the stairs, Cookie was already howling at being left alone.

“Let’s give her a few minutes to settle down.” Tom answered Sophia’s concerned look, helping her to the last step.   

Having cleaned their teeth and dressed for bed, they looked at each other concerned, still able to hear the heartbreaking howling coming from downstairs.

“If we give in to her now we’ll never be able to discipline her.” He said, as though reading Sophia’s mind, who had been contemplating going back down stairs.

“But we can’t leave her howling all night, the neighbours will hear her soon, if they haven’t already.” Sophia insisted.

“I’ll go down and try to settle her.” She added, heading towards the bedroom door.

“Darling, you can’t be up and down the stairs in your condition. I’ll go.” Tom offered, kissing her lightly before disappearing out of the door.

Climbing into bed, it wasn’t long before Sophia was fast asleep, unaware that Tom was to spend most of the night awake with the puppy.

 

To be continued...

 


	23. Chapter 23

Sophia was woken by a strange wet feeling on her cheek. Slowly opening her eyes, she was face to face with the most adorable chocolate brown eyes and a very cold, wet nose. Cookie was lying on the bed wagging her tail excitedly in between Sophia and Tom, who she noticed was looking a little on the tired side.

“Oh sweetheart, have you been awake with her all night?” She asked concerned.

“Not all night but quite a lot, she wasn’t settling well but I think we’ve made some progress haven’t we?” He said, looking down and stroking Cookie, who barked happily up at him.

“By the way, Merry Christmas.” He said, leaning over to kiss Sophia softly on the lips.           

“Merry Christmas.” She replied, smiling broadly.

 

A short while later they made their way down stairs, with the puppy curled up tightly in Sophia’s arms. Heading into the lounge, there were a selection of beautifully wrapped gifts sat waiting for them under the tree which had not been there the night before.

“Oh my goodness, Tom!” Sophia cried, throwing one of her hands up to her mouth in surprise. His smile widened seeing the excitement on her face.   

“Come and sit down.” He said, taking her hand and leading her to the sofa closest to the Christmas tree. Kneeling down beside the tree, with Cookie now affectionately try to bite his bare toes, he hovered his hand over a number of the presents, deciding which one to choose for her to open first.  

“How about you open one of yours first?” Sophia suggested, reaching across to a rectangular box which she had cleverly placed on one of the higher branches out of sight.

“Sweetheart, you didn’t need to get me anything.” Tom placed a hand on her knee as he looked up at her surprised.

“Of course I did, I love you and I wanted to give you something.” She placed her hand on top of his affectionately.

“But you already have,” He grinned, placing his other hand on her extremely large baby bump.

“Well if we’re being technical that was a gift you gave to me!” She laughed.

“Let’s call it even!” He chuckled leaning up to kiss her.

“So, are you going to open this or not?” Sophia looked at him with a mock-sad look on her face.

“Oh darling of course I am, thank you.” Tom squeezed her hand as he took the gift. He carefully unwrapped the paper, unveiling a black leather box. Lifting the lid to reveal an expensive looking 'Tag' watch which had a charcoal grey main dial which sat within a stainless steel and silver casing. Picking up the watch which was encased around a soft padded cushion, Tom stared at it in delight.

“Sweetheart, this is exquisite!” He looked from the watch to her delighted face and back to the watch once again.

“I am blown away, thank you my darling, so much.” He leaned up and kissed her, a slow, long and lingering kiss that told her just how special this gift was to him.

Sliding the watch from the cushion, he undid the clasp, which as he did so noticed a marking on the underside of facia. He turned it over to reveal an inscription,  

 _‘From chance meetings...to happily ever after’_         

Tom’s face lit up as he read the loving message she had added, his eyes welling up with happy tears.

“Oh Sophia,” His emotions caught in his throat as he tried to speak.

“this is… just perfect.” His smile reached all the way to his eyes as he looked to her lovingly.

“I absolutely love it my darling, thank you.” He slid the watch onto his wrist and locked the clasp into place. Turning his wrist, he looked proudly down at the watch once more before turning his attention to the gifts under the tree. The two of them continued to exchange gifts whilst Cookie sat inthralled, now happily playing with the disregarded wrapping paper on the floor at Sophia’s feet.     

 

Once they had opened their presents from one another, along with those from her mum and Steve, Charlotte and Luke and a few others from close friends. Sophia turned to look at Tom’s handsome features, feeling so content at seeing how relaxed he looked whilst fixatidly scanning his eyes over his new first edition copy of ‘Far From The Madding Crowd’ which she had managed to locate online to join some of the other Thomas Hardy novels he already had within his extensive collection of literature. He’d curled up into the corner of the sofa, dressed simply in a pair of loose fitting black pajama bottoms and a light grey t-shirt which clung to his well formed upper body.

 

"Shall we have breakfast?" Sophia asked, feeling her stomach rumbling. 

“Why not?” He replied, sitting the book down beside him before holding his hand out to her.

They sat and enjoyed a relaxing breakfast together whilst Cookie played with a squeaky ball at Sophia’s feet.    

“What time are we expected at your mum’s for lunch?” She asked before placing a mouthful of scrambled egg and toast into her mouth.

“I said that we’d make our way there for around lunchtime, so that we could have the morning together, just the two of us. I hope Honey is going to be ok with us taking Cookie, she’s a rather old dog and a hyperactive puppy will, I’m sure, test her patience.” Tom explained, leaning down and scratching Cookie behind her ears affectionately as she nudged her ball to his foot with her nose.   

 

Deciding to make the short journey to Diana’s house by taxi, having given Clark the day off to be with his family, they arrived just in time for lunch. Emma & Sarah were already in the lounge when Tom entered carrying gifts for the family, with Sophia following a little slower behind him with Cookie wrapped up tightly in her arms. On sight of the family's elderly dog Honey, Cookie’s ears pricked up and her tail began to wag frantically.

Sophia made her way towards the couch, keeping hold of the excitable puppy as she lowered herself down. Honey lay quietly in front of the fire, raising her head slightly to get a better view of this new arrival as Sophia placed Cookie on to the carpet in front of her feet. Slowly creeping forwards on all fours, Cookie fixed her eyes on the golden retriever who continued to watch the youngster making her way ever closer. As Cookie reached Honey’s paw she stopped abruptly, as the elderly dog lowered her long nose and sniffed at the puppy.  Once she appeared satisfied, Honey tucked her paw behind Cookie, pulling her gently into her as she lowered her head and closed her eyes. Watching in fascination Sophia, Tom, Emma and Sarah were shocked to see Cookie’s temperament change before their eyes, almost instantly reflecting that of Honey’s. Sprawling out on all fours, Cookie lent her head down on to her right paw, tilted her head and closed her eyes.

“Oh my!” Sophia gasped in a whisper, looking to Tom in delight. Maybe training her wasn’t going to be as difficult as they first thought.  

 

After an incredible Christmas lunch cooked by Tom’s mum, they all spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing watching old movies whilst gathered around playing a selection of board games. Sophia looked down at her sparkling new bracelet, one of the many gifts she had received from Tom earlier that morning. Twisting the white gold band within her fingers, she stared down at the beautiful sparkling diamonds encased within it around her wrist. She couldn’t help but think about how truly blessed she was and just how good it felt to be doing something ‘normal’ after the crazy few months they had leading to this point.

As they sat around the large rectangular coffee table during a particularly intense game of Monoploy, Tom looked over at Sophia and smiled as she appeared to be concentrating exceedingly hard on her turn of the game. He began to think about how relaxed he felt being surrounded by his loved ones. Seeing that she had finally played her go, Tom saw Sophia look straight over at him, beaming her warm and caring smile, and in that moment he felt as though all of his cares and worries were far away.  

To be continued...

 


	24. Chapter 24

Today had been the quiet and relaxing affair the two of them had hoped for, spending time with Tom’s family and most importantly, with each other.   

Since the night of their engagement announcement, Tom’s sisters had both made an extra special effort, largely at Tom’s request, to get to know Sophia. After their time together today as a family, Emma and Sarah had been able to see for themselves just how perfect the couple were for each other.

Saying their goodbyes at the end of what felt like a very long day, they made their way out to the awaiting taxi. Closing her eyes the moment she was safely in her seat, Sophia was already looking forward to climbing into their soft bed for some well needed sleep. Slipping into the seat beside her, with Cookie asleep in his arms, Tom leaned across and softly kissed her cheek. She rubbed her hand across her swollen bump as she felt a sharp pain which lasted for just a moment before subsiding.

Pulling up outside the house a short while later, Tom jumped out of the taxi, quickly making his way round to help Sophia as she struggled to lift herself out of the car. Taking his warm outstretched hand, she desperately held herself together as the pain began to surge once more, not wanting to alert Tom that anything was wrong, to cause him to worry him unnecessarily.

“It won’t be for much longer sweetheart, I promise.” He said, seeing what he thought was frustration ripple across her face as they slowly made their way up the steps to the front door.  Placing his muscular arm around her waist, still holding on tightly to Cookie, he guided Sophia into the house and up the staircase. Setting the sleepy puppy down on the bedroom floor, he then turned back to Sophia, helping her around to her side of the bed where he helped her undress. Once she was dressed in her loose fitting satin camisole and shorts he lifted her into bed as the pain compressed itself, this time within her lower back, as she continued to hide the discomfort she was feeling. Placing the softest of kisses on her forehead, he turned his attention to Cookie, who he was surprised to see was laid down, just as she done earlier with Honey earlier that day. Seeing her yawn sleepily, he bent down, gently scratching her fondly behind the ears as he decided to allow her to sleep there for the night. He made light work of removing his light blue cotton shirt and jeans, leaving them in a neat pile next to the bed as he slipped beneath the sheets, still wearing his tight black boxer shorts. Looking over, he saw Sophia was already fast asleep as he turned off the lamp on the bedside table.   

 

“OWWW”  Sophia screamed out as she sat bolt upright, clutching her bump as the pain seared through her body.  Tom instantly woke, sitting up and clambering to kneel beside her in a fit of panic.

“Sophia? Sweetheart, what is it? Please tell me? Is it the baby?” Panicking at the terrified look on her face as she screamed out again. Unable to catch her breath, she grabbed his hand, squeezing it tightly as the pain and adrenaline pulsated through her body.  

“My waters have broken, the baby’s coming.” She managed to say as the pain began to subside momentarily.

“Oh my...right, we need to get you to the hospital now!” He said aloud, more to himself as he jumped off the bed. Throwing on the clothes he’d left at the foot of the bed just a few hours earlier, Cookie scrambling around his feet at the sudden disruption within the room.

“Tom…” She gasped, almost in a whisper, as he desperately tried to do up his jeans, his hands shaking uncontrollably.

“TOM!” Sophia’s terrified scream rang out around the room. Tom quickly scrambled around the bed, stepping over Cookie who was now running backwards and forwards as she barked uncontrollably. He was at Sophia’s side in a matter of seconds, taking her hands into his as she squeezed them tightly as another contraction began.

“I’m here sweetheart, I’m here.” Brushing her hair back out of her eyes he gently sweaped his hand delicately down her cheek.    

“I’ll call the hospital, I can let them know to expect us and they can give us more guidance.” He suggested, trying to keep calm and thinking logically. Reaching for his phone, he hit the speed dial for the hospital and placed it to his ear.  

“Tell them...” She said breathlessly “that the contractions are less than five minutes apart.”

He listened for a moment, then nodded as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone before confirming their imminent arrival.     

“They want us to start making our way there darling, they don’t think it will be too long now.” He advised, sliding the phone into the back pocket of his tight fitting jeans.

“We’ll need a taxi and my overnight bag.” She said, looking over at the clock on the bedside table that read 3:18am.

Tom nodded before picking up his phone once again, ordering a taxi before stepping over to the chest of drawers and taking out underwear for Sophia before heading to the wardrobe, pulling out one of her jumper dresses along with a pair of knee high flat boots so she could dress warmly before setting out for the hospital. Helping her dress between contractions, they soon made their way downstairs.

Tom settled Cookie into her dog bed in the lounge as Sophia doubled over as another wave of contractions started. She couldn’t help but compare the pain to a far more extreme version of menstrual cramps which were lasting just a few minutes at a time in regular intervals.  Waiting for this latest bout to subside, Tom was soon at her side, gently beginning to rub her back, trying to help relieve some of the pain.

It wasn’t long before the taxi arrived outside the house. Making their way out into the cold, dark night, Tom wrapped his arm protectively around her as they slowly made their way down the stone steps to the car.     

   As the taxi made its way through the empty streets, Sophia was concentrating on her breathing, keeping as calm as she could whilst trying desperately to block out her recent nightmares of the birth. The continuous agony she felt was becoming unbearable as the time between the contractions shortened.

With them still some distance away from the the hospital, Tom urged the driver to speed up,

“Please go as fast as you can, we need to reach the hospital before the baby arrives.” He cried out in a panicked voice as Sophia squeezed his hand forcefully as the next set of contractions started. The taxi driver quickly sped up, making light work of the remaining journey.

Pulling up outside the entrance to the hospital, two nurses were waiting for them, ready to whisk Sophia into the labour room. As they rushed along the corridor, Sophia clung to Tom’s hand desperately, screaming out in pain as she could feel the baby pushing down, ready to make its way out.  

Tom was asked to wait out in the corridor whilst the nurses helped Sophia into a hospital gown before assisting her on to the padded sterile bed. Introducing themselves to Sophia as they waited for the doctor, the first nurse, whose name badge confirmed she was Michelle, was tall with mousy-blonde bobbed hair and looked in her mid-thirties, whilst her colleague, who appeared to be a significantly older lady with greying hair was Elaine.

It wasn’t long before Dr Stephens arrived, gowning up and scrubbing into his elbow-length gloves.

Giving Sophia a brief once over, he was happy that everything was going to plan with the arrival of the baby and allowed Tom to join them in the room. Rushing to take his place at Sophia’s side, Tom saw the anxiety spreading across her face.

“I’m here my darling, I’m here.” He said, kissing her sweet supple lips in a mixture of relief and fear as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, he tightly wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her close as they together tried to control her breathing through the pain with the use of the gas and air that was now on hand.

 

Sophia’s breathing soon became harsher and more rapid as the natural urge to push began.

“Slow, deep breaths sweetheart,” Tom reassured her, as she took in a large inhale of the gas and air.

“In and out, that’s it baby, in and out slowly. We can do this.” He brushed her hair back out of her eyes as she turned abruptly to stare at him, fury written across her face.

“WE?? WE??” She screamed as the pain ricocheted through her body.

“I don’t see you pushing this baby out of your…” She began as Tom’s face went from scarlet to a deep shade of crimson as he interrupted her midflow, unable to make eye contact with Dr Stephens or either of the nurses.

“OK sweetheart!” He held up his hands up protectively.

“I know this is hard on you, but you’re almost there now. I can see the head!” Tom’s excitement instantly faded away any animosity Sophia was feeling as she leant her head back and pushed into the bed, using every ounce of strength she had to bring their baby into the world.

“You’re doing great Sophia, keep using the gas and air if you need it,” Dr Stephens called out from the end of the bed, guiding the baby out.

“One big final push and he’ll be here.” He added.

Tom slid back to Sophia’s side, gripping her hand tightly whilst he wiped a cold compress across her forehead.

“GET HIM OUT!!” She screamed, as the final wave of pain surged through her lower body.

“That’s it darling, you can do it.” Tom threw down the compress and slid his other hand around the one already holding on to Sophia’s.

“He’s here, Sophia you’re little boy is here.” In that very moment, upon hearing Dr Stephen’s voice, although unable to comprehend what he was saying, she felt a wave of relief wash over her like nothing she’d ever felt before.   

Kissing her with more love and passion than he ever thought possible, Tom scooped Sophia into the tightest of hugs, cradling her within his arms as they both breathed in a sigh of relief that it was all over. It was another few moments while she caught her breath before Sophia realised that something was wrong.

“Why...why isn’t he crying?” She hesitantly asked, pulling away from Tom’s embrace as she looked towards the end of the hospital bed where the nurses were frantically rubbing the baby’s chest.

“The baby isn’t currently breathing but this is can happen. The nurses are massaging his lungs to dislodge any fluid that maybe stopping him breathing for himself.” Dr Stephens explained.

Sophia grasped at Tom’s arm, desperately trying to hold herself together as she saw her nightmares coming to life in front of her eyes.

“Please don’t let him die, please!” She begged, tears flowing down her flushed cheeks as she sobbed into Tom’s arms. Clutching his distraught fiancee to him, Tom felt helpless seeing his fragile son lying so still as Michelle held a tiny breathing mask over his mouth and nose in an attempt to gain fresh oxygen into his body.

‘Come on son, breath.’ He thought pleadingly, willing their newborn infant to pull though these painstakingly critical moments.     

With every second that passed, Sophia became more and more hysterical until, without warning, the sound she and Tom were terrified they would never hear broke the silence of the room.

“Oh thank goodness!” Tom cried out in relief, as he and Sophia hugged hearing their beautiful son let out a second loud cry.

Once Dr Stephen’s had examined the baby to ensure there had been no lasting consequences of the baby’s lack of oxygen, he was happy to allow the umbilical cord to be cut. Once the cord had been clamped close to the baby’s navel by the nurse, Dr Stephens held out a pair of surgical scissors to Tom, allowing him the opportunity to perform the small procedure himself. Tom looked to Sophia, who nodded favourably before he proudly made the minor incision, detaching the baby from his mother.  Scooping the crying infant into her arms, Elaine quickly laid him onto the scales before placing him on to Sophia’s chest to begin the bonding process.

“He’s perfect.” She cooed, gently taking his tiny hand and stroking it whilst placing the softest of kisses on his very red little head.

Sophia slowly sat up, placing her hand on his delicate head and body, terrified he would break should he be held too tightly as she maneuvered him into a cradled position, making it easier to see all of her beautiful boy.

“He definitely has your eyes.” She said glancing up at Tom, who was beaming with joy, tears freely running down his cheeks. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, placing his arm tightly around his incredible wife-to-be and watching his most precious boy brought a happiness to Tom that he’d never felt anything close to before this moment. Leaning in close to Sophia, he placed a single kiss on her forehead, before gently caressing his son’s soft skin for the first time.

Unable to take her eyes off her beautiful bundle of joy, Sophia laid back against the bed, the tiredness washing over her like a tidal wave.

“Daddy, would you like to hold your son?” She asked lovingly, looking up at Tom, who simply nodded as he kissed her softly on the lips. Slowly sliding his arm from around Sophia, he placed his hands underneath the baby’s head and body, gently lifting him to his chest. Staring down into those blue-green eyes, he found himself enthralled by every inch of this most precious of gifts held within his fingertips. This little man was going to look to him in a way he’d never encountered before, which filled him with anticipation and excitement at the thought of all of the moments they would share together as a family. His first steps, his first word, and his first tooth were just some of the many momentous occasions they would celebrate. His mind began to wander into the future, picturing his first day of school, riding his first bike and playing with a football in the park with his dad. These and so many more happy thoughts filled Tom with the confidence that he’d made the right decision all those months ago to stand by this beautiful woman who had carried and nurtured their baby, bringing him into the word and into their lives.                  

“I love you.” He said, looking down at Sophia who smiled back up at him sleepily.

“I love you too.” She replied. Taking every care not to move too quickly as he could see the baby had now closed his eyes too, he lent down and kissed Sophia lovingly.

“You’re an amazing woman Sophia,” He beamed,

“Thank you for bringing this magnificent little man into our lives.” He added thoughtfully before kissing her once again. Looking back at their as yet unnamed infant who was now sleeping peacefully within his arms, he noticed how tired Sophia was also looking.

“You should try and get some sleep now my darling, I’m sure you must be exhausted.”  He brushed his hand against her cheek as she nodded slowly in agreement.

Tom looked to Michelle who had been waiting patiently at the end of the bed ready to clean Sophia up.

“Sophia, I’d like to make you feel a bit more comfortable if that’s ok with you as you lost a fair amount of blood and fluid during the delivery. Sophia nodded and laid back as Michelle got to work whilst the proud parents concentrated on their new arrival.

 

A short while later, having made Sophia feel much more ladylike and helping her into her pajama's, Michelle turned her attentions to the paperwork required to be completed. As she began to fill in the first form, Tom contemplated what would happen next.     

“Where will the baby sleep tonight?” He asked questionably looking over to the nurse.

“We have a bedside cot for him to sleep in next to his mum tonight so she can be close for when he needs to feed. Although we will need to swaddle him up first to keep him warm.” She advised. Nodding in acknowledgement, she wheeled the tiny cot over before sliding the baby from Tom’s arms. Wrapping him in a light blue swaddling robe she placed him into the cot. Leaning over the tall wooden table next to the bed, Michelle began completing the paperwork for Sophia’s file before taking a small wristband from her uniform pocket.

“Have you decided on a name for him yet?” The nurse asked, looking from Tom to Sophia. Hesitating before he answered, Tom turned and glanced at Sophia who shook her head.

“We have two in mind but we wanted to wait until he was born before making a final decision but I think that will need to wait until we have all had some sleep.” Tom explained.

Turning back to the table, Michelle wrote something on the wristband before placing it around the baby's wrist.

“Sophia, try and get some sleep. When he’s ready for a feed he’ll let you know so press the buzzer and I will come in and help you to feed him.” She explained kindly.

“Tom, go home and try and get some sleep. You can come back at anytime to visit.” She added kindly before leaving the room.

Turning back to Sophia, Tom leaned in closely to her, touching her forehead with his as he gently ran his hand along her flushed cheek.

“Sweetheart, I’m going to leave you to get some sleep for a few hours but I’ll be back soon.” Kissing her lovingly on the lips he smiled once again before walking around the bed to the cot to look at his son once more. Staring down at the sleeping baby, he couldn’t help but beam with pride and joy.

“Just call if you need me to bring anything in with me besides the baby’s carrycot. Everything else like nappies and sleepsuits are in your overnight bag already.” Tom thought over in his mind if he had forgotten anything whilst he looked down at the wristband around his son’s arm that had caught his attention. He couldn’t help but grin as he read the temporary name that had been noted down as ‘Baby Hiddleston’.   

“I’ll ring round and let everyone know but I’ll ask them to hold off from visiting until you’re feeling up to it.” He said thoughtfully, seeing her nod sleepily without opening her eyes, he decided that this was his cue to leave.

“I love you so very much.” Leaning in to kiss her once again before making his way out of the door.

 

 

To be continued...


	25. Chapter 25

Opening a sleepy eye as his phone buzzed frantically on the bedside table, Tom woke with a start. Reaching for his phone, he saw that his mum was calling.

“Hi mum, did you get my message?” He asked, sliding up the bed into a more comfortable sitting position.

“I did sweetheart, congratulations. Tell me all about my wonderful Grandson. What’s his name? When was he born? What did he weigh?” Diana bombarded him with questions, making his head spin uncontrollably from lack of sleep.  

“He’s beautiful mum. He doesn’t have a name yet, but he was born at 4:23am and weighed 7lbs 4oz.” Tom informed her.

“And how’s Sophia?” She asked.

“I haven’t spoken to her or the hospital in the last couple of hours, I came home to let them both get some rest and so I could catch up on a few hours myself before I go back shortly.” He replied, looking over at the alarm clock on the bedside table which read 10:15am.

“Oh I’m sorry if I woke you son. Let me know later when we can come and visit, we are all dying to come and meet him!” Diana sounded far more excited than Tom had ever expected.

“Finally, I’m a Grandma!” She said gushing, making Tom laugh before they said their goodbyes.

 

“Everyone sends their love!” Tom announced, settling down in the armchair with the baby nestled into his arms. Sophia and their new born son had been moved into a private room during the early hours.

“I can’t wait for everyone to meet him, especially once we’ve decided on a name.” She replied, feeling a little more awake after the short nap she had managed to catch between the two feeds she’d woken up for earlier that morning.   

   “Well I think we should, otherwise his birth certificate is going to read ‘Baby Hiddleston’ forever and I don’t think he’ll thank us for that!” Tom joked, looking down at his sleeping son who was swaddled up tightly.

“So from the two names we had discussed, do you think one over the other now he is here? She asked, looking over at their baby’s tiny features.  

“Personally, I think both would suit him but my choice would be Louis.” Tom cooed, rolling the name around in his head.

“As much as I love Theo as a possible name for him, I also love Louis as well. Let’s stay with our original choice...Louis Hiddleston it is then.” She beamed looking over to Tom who nodded in agreement.

“I think naming him after a King is perfect.” Tom added.

“Do we want to give him a middle name or two?” Sophia asked, pulling a face knowing it had been hard enough to get to this stage, without confusing things with middle names.

“We could consider it.” Tom replied happily.

“What about Daniel or Noah?” He suggested, as he contemplated other options

“I like both of those.” She replied, looking over to her two favourite guys.

“Although, what about Zachary?” She said aloud.

“Louis Zachary Hiddleston? It’s got a certain ring to it.” He stared down lovingly at the tiny infant who was asleep within his arms.

“I think that sounds perfect, just like him.” She closed her eyes for a moment as the lack of sleep along with the physical and emotional effects of having given birth took their toll once again.

“Sweetheart, if you want to sleep for a while I’m not going anywhere, so don’t stay awake just for me.” Tom whispered sweetly as he watched her fighting her exhaustion. Sliding his hand on top of hers as he sat at her side, she coaxed her eyes open enough to stare into his intoxicating blue-green eyes that always managed to make her heart skip a beat.

“This incredible little man and I can enjoy some father-son time while you catch up on some rest. I can take him for a walk to give you some peace and quiet if you’d like?” He offered, gently squeezing her hand.

“I’m not quite sure I’m ready to be parted from him just yet, but some sleep sounds wonderful.” She replied hesitantly, fearing the thought of her beloved bundle of joy being out of her sight for more than a moment.            

“That’s ok my darling, we will sit right here and watch the world go by, I might even read him his first Shakespeare play!” Tom laughed as he softly ran his finger over Louis’s light coloured hair, which he surprisingly had rather a lot of already.

Sophia laid back, closing her eyes and letting the fatigue that she’d been desperately fighting finally carry her into a deep sleep.   

 

Tom ignored the noise of his phone quietly buzzing in his pocket as he sat enjoying these precious moments with his son. Standing up and walking over to the window, he looked out over the small suburban garden belonging to the hospital.

“There are so many wondrous things in this world I cannot wait to show you my little prince,” He began in almost a whisper so not to wake Sophia.

“We are going to see the most incredible things together that you are going to love.” Tom thought of all of the incredible experiences he had himself as a child and how he hoped to pass so many of those and more onto this tiny person cradled in his arms to whom he already loved more than life itself.   

“You are truly going to be loved more than any child has ever known. Your mummy and I love you so very much, little Louis.” He leant down and placed the lightest of kisses on his son’s head, beaming to himself at how precious he had already become to him.

 

In the late afternoon, they were greeted by a hesitant knock on the door. Seeing a familiar face emerging from behind the opening door, they were both delighted to see Tom’s mum who was followed in by his sisters. Making their way towards the bed where Sophia was now awake and enjoying cuddles with Louis, who was asleep once again after his most recent feed. There were “ohh's” and “aww’s” as the three of them reached Sophia’s side and seeing Louis’s tiny features.

“Oh my goodness, he is just gorgeous.” Emma whispered, looking from Louis to Sophia and then to Tom who she then noticed had taken a leaf out of his son’s book and was catching up on some shut eye in the comfy armchair.

Gently maneuvering Louis into Diana’s arms, She was overjoyed to hold her beautiful grandson in her arms for the first time.

“So what do you prefer mum, granny, nana or grandma?” Tom cheekily asked, opening his eyes just a little to see the look of surprise on her face.

“Oh I don’t know, but certainly not grandma, that sounds old!” She responded matter of factly but with a small smile on her face.

“I think nanny.” Emma said kindly, which everyone nodded in agreement.   

After a while, Diana reluctantly handed Louis on to the first of his two aunts, Sarah, who was most excited that her nephew woke up in that moment to show off his exquisite blue-green eyes.

“Oh Tom, he has your eyes!” She radiated excitedly.         

  


The following day, after Dr Stephen’s had given his all clear for both mother and baby, they were allowed to go home. Wrapping him up warmly in the carrycot, they made their way out to where Clark was waiting for them at the car. He wished them both congratulations as he was introduced to the newest addition of the family.

Once they were finally home, Sophia settled Louis into his moses basket within the quiet of the lounge, not wanting to be too far away from him should he wake for a feed. It wasn’t long though before the first visitors arrived to welcome them home.

Tiptoeing into the lounge, Charlotte beamed as she spotted Sophia settled on the sofa enjoying a well needed mug of tea.  

“Look at you, you look amazing!” She whispered, seeing the baby fast asleep in his basket. Taking a seat next to her dear friend, she threw her arms around Sophia, hugging her tightly.  

“How are you feeling?” Charlotte asked intrigued.

“Tired and sore, but I’m so pleased to be home.” Sophia smiled, taking a sip of her tea.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to relax a lot more now that your home though.” She replied kindly. As Tom and Luke entered the room, Charlotte gestured to Luke who nodded, before turning to Tom and handing to him a bottle of champagne,

“This is a little something to celebrate and wet the baby’s head.” Luke said grinning. Thanking their friends for their kind gesture, Tom disappeared out into the hallway, returning a few moments later with four champagne flutes and an ice bucket. Placing the bottle into the ice to chill they began discussing the dramatic night Sophia had gone into labour and how magical it had felt for them both meeting their son at last.

“It was like something I’d never felt before, seeing his tiny little face looking up at me for the first time was just indescribable.” Tom’s face radiated his joy as he looked over happily at Sophia who mirrored his jubilation.

 

“Would you like to have a hold of your godson?” Sophia asked smiling at Charlotte who instantly nodded.

Placing her mug down on the coffee table, she leaned over and reached into the moses basket and gently scooped Louis up into her arms. Lifting him up, she softly kissed his head before sitting back into her seat. Turning to face Charlotte, she gestured for her to mimic her stance as she slid the baby into her arms.

Charlotte’s face lit up as she looked down at her godson sleeping contentedly.   

“How’s he sleeping so far?” She asked, taking hold of his tiny hand stroking it lightly.

“He’s been sleeping for about three hours between each feed but as the weeks go on he should start to sleep longer,” Sophia explained as she watched him fixatedly.

“Although I do feel like a bit of a human milk machine already and it’s only been a couple of days.” She sighed at the thought of the months ahead she had of breast feeding, but knowing it was the best thing for her little man in the long run.       

“Right, let’s lighten the mood and pop this cork.” Tom announced, standing up and taking the bottle out of the ice. Removing the foil and metal casing, he began to wiggle the cork within the palm of his hand until it finally popped making everyone jump. Instantly looking over to the baby, they were all surprised to see he hadn’t stirred from the blissful nap he was clearly enjoying.  

"Just a very small one for my my love, I'm not really supposed to be drinking whilst I'm breast feeding." Sophia requested to Tom, who smiled warmly at her.   

Pouring the champagne and handing out the flutes, Tom then held up his own glass into the air.

“Here’s to the most incredible, loveable little bundle of joy that has instantly melted everyone’s hearts the moment they have come into contact with him since he came into our lives two days ago. Here’s to the apple of our eye, to Louis!” Tom announced.

“Louis!” They all chimed in unison before taking a large swallow of their champagne. Tom then looked over to Sophia, smiling brightly as he lifted his glass once again.

“I’d also like to make a toast to the most amazing and wonderful woman in the world, who has made me the happiest man alive by not only agreeing to marry me but also bringing this little man into our lives...Sophia!”

“Sophia!” Tom, Charlotte and Luke chimed together making Sophia blush intently.

 

Later that evening, Tom, Sophia and Louis settled in for their first evening at home together curled up on the sofa watching a movie.

“It’s been wonderful to be surrounded by our nearest and dearest but it sure is nice to have some quiet time just the three of us.” Tom said looking down at his amazing family, kissing them both. Sophia nodded in agreement, feeling contented in this peaceful bubble they had created for the three of them.       

 

Having already arranged with his management team to have two weeks at home to be there for Sophia, Tom had cancelled any work commitments he had directly after Louis’s arrival in order to help look after the baby.  Having made the decision to breastfeed, meant Sophia regularly produced more milk than Louis required and so was able to bottle the surplus milk. This meant that Tom was able to wake up for majority of the night feeds and nappy changes, allowing Sophia to gain as much rest as she could handle.

They soon had a steady routine in place...

 

Towards the middle of January, Tom had to prise himself away from his new family to join the cast and crew of his new television project working alongside Hugh Laurie in a series for the BBC which took him away to Switzerland.

Stepping out of a well needed shower after an intense day of shooting, Tom poured himself a glass of red wine and looked out into the dark, just making out the ski resort they had been filming in that day. In the distance, he could see the twinkling lights of the local town in the valley below, which suddenly made him feel extremely home sick. Picking up his phone from where it had been on charge on the desk, he stared down at the picture. Staring back at him from the screen was his perfect little family, taken the night before he had flown out. Feeling his heart in his throat, he swallowed back the sadness as he selected ‘Home’ from the list of recently called numbers. Placing the phone to his ear, he waited impatiently for the dial tone to ring out.  

“Hi baby!” Sophia beamed, seeing his name flash up on the screen as she picked up the cordless phone.

“Hey, beautiful girl.” Tom replied, smiling profusely upon hearing her sweet voice.

“How’s the filming going?” She asked as she walked back through to the nursery, with Louis in her arms as she sat down and relaxed into the rocking chair.    

“It’s going well, but it is so cold here, you’d be glad you weren’t here.” He shivered, thinking back to his day which largely found him knee deep in snow. Slipping into a casual pair of lounge pants and a loose fitting white tee, he dropped down onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

“It would be worth it to see you, we both miss you so much.” She replied softly as she balanced the phone between her shoulder and her left ear whilst she settled Louis in her arms before unbuttoning her blouse. Nuzzling up to her breast at the mere smell of her milk, Louis happily began to suckle, closing his eyes contentedly as he fed.  

“I’ll be home to you both soon.” Tom reassured her, his heart feeling heavy within his chest as he longed to hold them both within his arms.

“Do you think it will be in time for your birthday?” She enquired, trying to sound casual as she attempted to gain a little more of an insight into his expected return, in the hope that her plans for his surprise plans wouldn’t need to be postponed.   

“At the moment, they think another week to ten days, then they plan to move the filming to London which is great news for us,” He explained.

“The script is still being developed for the later episodes, so we could be filming for several months in a few different locations in and around Europe.” He added.

“That’s great news that you’ll be home so soon, and you’ll be here for a while at least.” Sophia felt relieved knowing she could continue with her plans.  

“How’s everything there? How’s my best boy?” Tom asked unable to keep a smile from his face as he thought of Louis.

“At this moment in time he’s a very contented baby, but that may have something to do with the fact that he’s in the middle of a feed!” She laughed, looking down at their little prince.

“Well, he’s a very lucky little guy being so close to those, I can’t wait to get back there to cosy up to them myself!” He had a seductive tone in his voice, which made Sophia wish he was home all the more.

“Lets hope you’re back here sooner rather than later then mister, because I look forward to practicing for baby number two,” She heard him stutter on the other end of the line which made her giggle.

“...And by practice I really do mean just that… I don’t think I’m quite ready to go through all that again anytime soon.” She said, with a mixture of humour and seriousness in her voice.   

“Practice sounds good to me, baby.” He chuckled.

 

They talked for a while longer, about her afternoon spent with Charlotte and about Sophia’s decision to find herself a personal trainer.

“...But you don’t need to loose any weight sweetheart, you’re perfect as you are.” He reassured her.

“I just want to work off the baby weight, that’s all and get back to my old self.” She looked down at her body, feeling frumpy and discontent with her less than slim figure.

“It will take time, my love. Your beautiful body carried our baby for nearly nine months, it will need time to heal itself. Give yourself that time, but if this will make you happy, my darling then you have my support.”

Sophia thought about what he had said but she knew that to restore her self confidence she needed to find a way of getting back her slim physique.  

“I’d like to at least give it a try, take it slowly to begin with and build myself back up. I did so love to run, I could clear my head of all my thoughts, to truly relax. I miss that Tom, I need to see more than these four walls from time to time, or I will go quietly mad.”  She felt a longing in her heart, for a time when she didn’t feel like a human milk dispenser, or wasn’t up to her elbows in nappies. She loved her son dearly, but for a moment she thought of how different things would be if they had not conceived so soon into meeting.     

“In that case my darling, you have my complete support.” Tom spoke, comforting her.  “You should speak to Benedict’s fiancée, Sophie. She has a personal trainer she was working with before she became pregnant herself that she swears by, so I’m sure she’d be happy to put you in touch with him.” He added, giving her words of encouragement.

“Thank you sweetheart, I will. I love you.” She beamed happily.

“I love you more.” He replied.

 

Changing the subject to one of a happier nature, Sophia and Tom began to discuss Louis’s Christening, to which they were still to finalise a date for, along with choosing another male friend to be Louis’s second godfather.

“I’d really like to ask Chris or Benedict.” Tom deliberated out loud.

“I know Chris won’t get to see him as often as Ben would, with him usually being in the U.S or Aus but I am godfather to his little girl India. However, I am best man at Ben’s wedding next month and he and Sophie are about to have their own child. If the worst should happen to the two of us they could take Louis into their family much easier than flying him halfway around the world to the Hemsworths.”  

“OK, so why don’t you have a think about it and as soon as you’re home we’ll choose a date for the Christening and make the necessary arrangements?” Sophia suggested.

“That sounds like a great idea, and that’s just one of the many reasons I love you.” His natural charisma always made her smile, knowing she couldn’t resist this charming man she would one day call her husband. A pang of sadness crept into her mind as she thought about not yet being married to this wonderful man. They had more than enough going on right now, but she felt as though deep down something was missing from their perfect life. She made a mental note to begin looking at locations and potential venues to discuss with Tom when he was next home, not wanting to detract from their current discussion of the Christening.

Eventually they said their goodnights, neither wanting to end their conversation. Sophia’s thoughts turned once again to the preparations for Tom’s birthday surprise and the Christening. She couldn’t help but think about how all this planning was going to keep her busy on top of raising a newborn, but she welcomed the challenge.

    

To be continued...


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's getting hot and steamy in this chapter so just to give you all a heads up. Hope you are all still enjoying the story :D

Tom had now been home for one day following his visit to Switzerland and he was soon leaving again, but this time he was heading to the Isle of Wight for his dear friend Benedict’s wedding, where he had been given the honour of being the best man.

He had arranged for Luke and Charlotte to babysit Louis for a couple of days whilst he and Sophia were away. Charlotte had recently relocated to London and moved in with Luke which meant she and Sophia were able to spend much more time together.

Tom was then requested to travel down a day ahead for a church rehearsal and to assist with the final preparations for the big day which he was happy to oblige with. They had then arranged for Sophia to join him for the ceremony and celebrations on the day.     

Whilst he had been away, Tom had made the decision that he would to ask Benedict to be Louis’s godfather to which Sophia was in complete agreement with.

 

On the morning of the wedding, making the short walk from home with Cookie on her leash, almost trotting to keep up with only having little legs, Sophia arrived outside the building to Luke & Charlotte’s apartment and apprehensively rang the doorbell. Looking down at a sleepy Louis, who was tucked up warmly within his pushchair, she contemplated turning back towards home. Just then, she heard Charlotte’s familiar voice across the intercom.

“Hey hun, I’ll buzz you in.”

Heading into the hallway and across the marbled lobby to the lift, Sophia made her way up to the third floor. As she stepped out of the lift, Charlotte was already standing in the doorway to the apartment waiting for them. Hugging her best friend tightly, Charlotte showed Sophia through into the lounge.

“Have you got time for a cuppa and a natter before you need to catch your train?” Charlotte asked.

“Umm, not really. I’m meant to be on a train in an hour.” Sophia replied sadly, looking down at her watch.    

 

Sophia released Cookie from her lead before unclipping the baby’s seat from the main frame of the pushchair, flattening it down and settled herself on the black leather sofa with Louis still in his seat.

“Thank you for looking after both of them for us sweetheart. I hope they won’t be too much trouble. I’ve packed nappies, wipes and plenty of baby grows so if Louis is sick or needs changing then use whatever you need. I’ve bottled up milk for all of his feeds and some extra in case he gets hungry. There’s also a list of how long to warm the milk for, how to best wind him, his normal body temperature so if he gets too hot you’ll know.” Sophia explained as she ran through everything she’d packed in Louis’s overnight bag.  

“That’s great. I have his moses basket already set up in our room.” Charlotte smiled warmly down at Louis who was now fast asleep.  

“I might pop home and get a few more things…” Sophia muttered to herself worriedly, looking at the contents of the bag in front of her on the floor.

“Soph’ there’s more than enough here for him to stay for a week so don’t worry, he’ll be absolutely fine. Go and enjoy yourself at the wedding with Tom. Louis, Luke and I are going to have a great time together, aren’t we Louis?” Charlotte reassured her kindly as she knelt down infront of Louis, taking one of his tiny hands in hers and caressed it gently.  

Removing the blankets that were snuggled up around him, Sophia then unclipped the restraints holding Louis into his seat. Sliding him out and carefully into her arms she held him tightly for one last cuddle before handing him over.  Looking down to her son, she desperately tried to hold back the tears that threatened to expose just how much she really wasn’t ready to leave him.

Without taking her eyes off of him, she slid her phone out of her pocket, pressed the speed dial button and held the phone to her ear. After a moment she heard Tom’s voice, surprised to hear from her so early.

“Are you on the train already darling?” He asked confused.

“Sweetheart, I’m sorry but I’ve decided not to come to the wedding. I’m just not ready to leave him…” She spoke softly, the wobble in her voice giving away just how upset she was.  She knew she was letting him down by not being at his side today but the thought of anything happening to Louis was too much for her to bare. There was silence on the line for a moment or two before he finally spoke.

“I understand. Give our boy a kiss from me and I’ll see you tomorrow evening.” Tom couldn’t hide the disappointment from his tone. Quickly making an excuse that he was needed to help with the preparations at the church, he promptly ended the call.

“Love you.” He said finally and hung up before waiting to hear her reply.

The tears she had been holding back now overwhelmed her, flowing freely down her flushed cheeks.      

“Sophia, what’s wrong?” Charlotte asked worriedly as Sophia began to sob. Unable to answer her friends question she continued to stare down at the baby in her arms, as though she would fall apart if he were anywhere else.

Standing up and moving the empty baby seat onto the floor she placed her arms soothingly around Sophia, being extra cautious of not hugging her too hard. After a few moments her tears began to slow and her breathing returned to normal.

“I’m sorry.” She said, looking up at Charlotte, feeling embarrassed by her sudden emotional outpouring.   

“It’s absolutely fine hun, it’s what I’m here for.” Charlotte smiled back at her friend, wishing she knew what had caused for her to be so upset.

“Is everything ok, between you and Tom?” She asked hesitantly, not wanting to pry.

“I guess so. I know he’s mad with me for not going to the wedding.” Sophia said timidly.  

“Is there a reason you don’t want to go anymore?” Charlotte asked.

“I thought I could leave him,” Sophia said, looking down at Louis sadly, before continuing.

“I can’t bear it, the thought of not being with him for every hour of every day. I’ve not been apart from him since the moment he was born and I’m scared as soon as I do something bad is going to happen.” She tried to hold herself together as she felt a fresh wave of tears bubbling to the surface.

“Oh hun, that’s understandable and completely natural but you need some you time. You need to relax and look after yourself, even if it’s just a night away but you will feel better for it. I’m sure along the road Louis will start picking up on your anxiety and that won’t be good for either of you.” Charlotte smiled sweetly as she saw the sadness painted clearly across Sophia’s face.

“Why don’t you go home, pick up your bag, go and have a wonderful time away with that incredible man who makes you happier than I have ever known?” She suggested, gently placing her hand on Sophia’s arm comfortingly. She could see Sophia was contemplating all the possibilities of what could happen if she went.

“This little man is going to eat and sleep his way through the next 36 hours or so whilst you’re gone, so go and relax!” Charlotte tried to reassure Sophia the best she could, knowing she would be more upset in the long run if she didn’t go.

Holding out her arms in a cradle position, Charlotte sympathetically beckoned for Sophia to pass the baby over to her. Hesitating for a moment before taking her dear friend's advice, she placed Louis into Charlotte’s awaiting arms.

“You’re doing the right thing. Now get yourself home, dressed and makeup touched up ready to make that train. You deserve some time to yourselves.”

Sophia dug deep down to reassure herself that somehow she was doing the right thing. She leaned over and stroked Cookie who was now happily chewing on her favourite play toy at her feet before lifting herself off the sofa.  She knew she needed to stay strong to get herself through this.

“I’ll text you every hour so you know how he is if you’d like?” Charlotte offered as she stood up to join Sophia on her feet. Seeing the smile grace Sophia’s pretty features she knew she’d made a breakthrough.

“Thank you sweetheart. I love you.” She said emotionally, throwing her arms around Charlotte’s neck.

“I love you too, but that’s what best friend’s and godmother’s are for!” She laughed.          

“Please phone me if anything happens, or if you’re unsure of anything.” Sophia begged as she bent down and kissed her beautiful boy goodbye, before turning quickly on her heel and stepping out into the hallway. Taking a big deep breath, Sophia turned the door handle and made her way out towards the lift.

 

Her journey down to the coast to meet the ferry was more relaxing than she had anticipated as Tom had booked her into first class. Enjoying the complimentary tea and biscuits she checked her phone for the hundredth time just in case she had happened to miss a message or a call from Charlotte. Once her journey was well underway, she decided to send a text, just to make sure everything was ok so far. She soon received a photo message of Louis, fast asleep in his moses basket with a message below which read “sleeping like an angel” which brought a smile to her face. She took out her book and sat back in her seat until they arrived into Southampton where she then made the short journey to the ferry for the crossing over to the island.

An hour later and she was jumping into a taxi, heading towards the south of the island to the hotel she and Tom would be staying in, along with the majority of the wedding party.

It didn’t take long to make the journey through the beautiful picturesque villages. Arriving into the pretty coastal town of Yarmouth, the taxi pulled up slowly outside the 17th century townhouse.

Making her way into the warmly decorated reception with her suitcase in tow, with a charming open staircase just ahead, she was greeted by a young, blonde receptionist who sat behind a large mahogany desk.

“Hello, good afternoon. My fiance is already checked in but I wondered if I could have a key as well to our room please?” Sophia asked politely, smiling sweetly in the hope that the receptionist wouldn’t make her wait for Tom to return. Nodding kindly, the receptionist asked for Sophia’s name and the name the reservation was made under, before providing her with a key and directions of how to find the room.    

Sliding the keycard into the lock and turning the handle, she stepped over the threshold, revealing a beautifully light and elegant room which was decorated in her favourite shades of blue and white.

Looking around the room in awe, she tried to take in every detail of the stylish yet cosy interior giving a true feeling of comfort and relaxation. Walking over to the incredible king sized bed, she set her new blue mulberry shoulder bag down before lifting her small suitcase and placing it on the stool situated at the foot of the bed.

The magnificent view from the bedroom windows had caught her eye from the moment she had entered. Walking over to gain a better view, she stared out at the crystal waters of the harbour, watching tiny sailing boats floating in the tide as it gently made its way in towards the shore. She caught herself smiling as she soaked in her spectacular surroundings, unable to remember the last time she felt so relaxed and at peace. Pulling her mind back to the present, she suddenly realised she could hear the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. Noticing that Tom’s formal tails were still hanging on the front of the wardrobe she couldn’t help but grin as she made the decision to give him a pleasant surprise.   

Slipping off her knee length winter coat and laying it over the top of her suitcase, she turned her attention to her slim fitting cream jumper. With its navy blue polkadots and off the shoulder neckline, she looked at herself in the mirror and couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated at still having her post pregnancy weight. Pushing this thought aside, she glided her delicate hands to the hem of her top and pulled it up, over her head. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, she lent down and unzipped her ankle boots, sliding them off with ease. Unbuttoning her skinny jeans, she guided the denim down her thighs and unhooked each leg simultaneously before folding and settling them on top of her coat. Taking to her feet, she looked at herself in the mirror. Now stood in just her underwear, she was glad to have chosen the pastel blue lacy two piece when she’d dressed that morning.

Taking the few steps to the bathroom door, she opened it silently and slipped inside. The room was full of steam as she looked around, seeing her handsome man’s well toned naked body stood beneath the shower, the hot flowing water running down his skin. Without making a sound, she unhooked her bra and slid the straps gently down her arms, letting it fall to the floor.  Gliding her lace panties to her ankles, she stepped out of them as she made her way to the shower. Sliding in behind him quietly, she softly placed her hands onto his shoulder blades and gently planted a line of kisses across his shoulders making him moan in pleasure. Without turning to look at her, he reached behind him until he found her soft, supple skin.

“I’m glad you changed your mind.” He said seductively, sliding his hands to her waist, pulling her closer to him.

“So am I.” She replied, slowly moving her hands around to his well formed chest as she continued to kiss his soft skin.

Lowering his head and guiding her hand to his mouth, slowly beginning to kiss each of her delicate fingers, enticing her as he slipped each digit individually into his mouth, coercing his tongue into a tantalizing rhythm.

Whilst he had control of her right hand, the other began to make its way down his long muscular chest towards his waist. She slid her fingers slowly across his skin, deliberately teasing him as she tentatively brushed along his now throbbing erection and down his inner thigh.

“Naughty girl.” he whispered, responding to her minimal of touches. He began to delicately nip and suck at the smooth pads of her fingertips, causing her to groan quietly in pleasure.

Tom’s breathing became noticeably more shallow as he felt her hand making its way over the lower part of his body, willing her to take him within her grasp in the hope of releasing the magnitude of built up tension that had consumed him, whilst he’d been unable to be this intimate with her. Finally, she wrapped her dainty fingers around the lower part of his shaft causing him to drop his head back, releasing a deep low moan of encouragement. Gently stroking her hand up and down, she felt his cock engorge as she steadily increased the fluidity of her movements.

Whilst she tried to concentrate on providing pleasure to her loving man, she felt his hand reach down between her thighs. Resting her forehead on his slick shoulder blade, her breathing quickened into a panting rhythm as his fingers delved within her soft folds, rhythmically stroking her clit with his thumb.  She could feel the pleasure building deep down as the first of his fingers descended inside her, gently sliding in and out. She soon felt him adding a second finger, his deep pumping increased her stimulation to the brink of orgasam before easing them out of her in one fluid motion.   

In an attempt to hold back his own release, he swiftly placed his hand around Sophia’s in an attempt to slow down her movements, he turned his body to face her for the first time. Without hesitation he moved towards her, kissing her passionately as his hands slid up her face and into her hair as he pulled her deeper into their kiss. His want and desire was apparent to her in each and every movement of his lips as his tongue ran its way along her bottom lip, in desperate search of entry to her ever ready mouth. Parting her lips to allow for his tongue to find hers, his hands explored every inch of her body, as if for the first time. The intensity between them was electric as he guided her slowly back towards the wall whilst the steaming water cascaded across their bodies.

“I love you.” She managed to say between gasps

“I love you too.” He replied, kissing her more tenderly as he caressed her soft cheek.

 

With his perfectly formed body nudging up against her, Sophia began to glide her delicate hands up his wet torso, placing kisses along his warm moist skin. Taking her time, she gently ran her fingers over his muscular physique before continuing their assent to his well formed shoulders where she left a trail of kisses leading to his long neck, whilst her hands finally reached their desired destination within his damp curling hair. She entwined her fingers as she pulled him into a deep and longing connection of their lips.

Hungrily, Tom’s hands found their way to Sophia’s luscious breasts, cupping both of them with his large hands. His fingers lightly traced across each of her breasts before he leaned his head down to take one of her plump darkened nipples into his mouth, massaging his tongue in a circular motion before he began to tenderly suck the very tip, making her cry out from the mixture of both pleasure and pain. He soon began alternating between gentle bites and soft kisses across her chest causing her to moan in pleasure as her desire for him deepened.  His hands descended down over her waist and hips to her curvaceous bottom, caressing it gently but unable to resist giving it a little squeeze which brought a smile to her lips.

Tom could feel the burning desire throbbing within him as he heard Sophia’s desperate groans of pleasure as his hands continued down to her lower thighs he gripped her tightly as he lifted her up, sliding her legs around his waist and drawing her closely to him. She could feel his impressive erection bobbing against her entrance as she locked her ankles together to stop herself slipping. The wetness between her legs was increasing as he guided his hand over her pubic bone and down into her soft folds. Whimpers of pleasure began in Sophia’s throat at the feel of his every touch, soon releasing themselves unceremoniously from Sophia’s lips as Tom’s thumb circled around her clit. The intensity was growing rapidly inside of her once again with each movement he made, delving tentatively into her entrance to ensure she was ready for him.

Tilting her head back onto the cold tiled wall, she pushed her hips down onto his hand, desperate to find further release. Feeling his girls need, he gently removed his fingers from her folds. A wanton cry unleashed itself from her mouth in desperation at his unexpected pause until she felt the head of his engorged erection nudging at her entrance.

Not wanting to cause her any pain, he slowly lowered her onto his hardness, making them both cry out in pleasure at the intensity of this first sexual contact since before their baby had been born. Their emotional and physical need for each other quickly building as they continued ever closer towards climax.

“Oh god yes.” Sophia screamed out as he pushed himself deeper into her, feeling every inch of him penetrating her again and again. She let out another deep moan of pleasure as he began to once again massage her clit, intensifying every ounce of pleasure she was feeling as her orgasam reached its crescendo. Every nerve within her body felt as though it was on fire as she felt him join her in their explosive release.

Lowering his head to rest on hers in exhaustion, Tom’s eyes remained tightly closed as he felt the continued shockwaves of his own orgasam ricocheting through his length, the last of his seed spilling out into her. After a few moments he was able to refocus his mind enough to open his eyes to look down at the beautiful smiling woman in his arms. Reaching his head down further, he softly kissed her parted lips as she continued to pant through the after effects of this first mind blowing orgasam since motherhood had all but consumed her.

Gently lowering her down so she could place her quivering legs onto the floor of the shower she continued to hold on to him as she felt her body turn to jelly.

Sophia looked up at Tom, who was smiling intently down at her.

“Hello!” He said cheekily, as though seeing her properly for the first time. Leaning down he ran his nose affectionately along hers before placing a tender kiss on her soft pink lips.

“Hello to you too!” She replied smiling happily back at him before she leaned into his chest, wrapping her arms around him.

“I’ve missed you so much.” He said, pulling her closer to him as he tightened his arms around her.

“I missed you too. I’ve missed us being able to do this too. I’m sorry I’ve kept you at arm's length since Louis was born…” She began, dropping her eyes to the floor embarrassed, but before she could finish he had placed a single finger up to her lips to silence her.

“Shhh, baby it’s ok, I understand. After everything you’re body has been through and is probably still going through I understand why we couldn't be intimate,” He reassured her.

“Let’s get dried off and we’ll go through to the bedroom. We should really start getting ready for the wedding too.” He added as he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. He then reached over to the door where a bathrobe was hanging from a hook, before turning and holding it out for Sophia to step into.

 

Sitting herself down on the edge of the bed, Sophia focused on drawing her stockings over her pointed toes, inching out the material. Reaching into her suitcase, she took the dress she’d been long waiting to wear, having bought it whilst pregnant, she’d been unable to wear it until now. The pastel green wiggle dress with its white polkadot design and pale pink ruched bust was perfect for such an occasion as today’s wedding, she thought to herself. Lowering the zip, she slipped inside the dress, pulling the cool green material up over her body.

Tom finished knotting his tie and slid it up to his throat, catching sight of Sophia in the mirror where she stood behind him, unable to take his eyes off of her perfect body, twisting as she tried to find the zip. He turned and walked across the room, stopping just inches away from her body. Placing one hand on her waist whilst taking hold of the tiny zip in the other, very slowly beginning to guide the zipper up her back. He tilted his head and leaned into the nape of her neck, breathing in her light perfume. As his lips met her soft skin, he placed the softest of kisses, tracing his way up to her jawline. He could feel her heart racing, her breathing becoming shaky and shallow as his touch drew a soft moan from her lips.

Gliding the zipper up to the top of her dress, he then settled his hand to her waist in symmetry with his other before tracing his fingers along her curves until he reached her breasts. His long slim digits slowly descended below her sweetheart neckline, grazing them against her soft, warm skin as he continued to kiss her neck. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head back into his chest, pushing herself forwards into his hand as he cupped her supple bosom within his palm. Exposing her breast from within her silk bra, he gently pulled and caressed her plump nipple between his fingers repetitively, instantly becoming erect within his hand. Her breathing began to quicken further, the feeling of longing deep down inside of her once again as he brought her to the brink of pleasure. Sliding her hand behind her, she could clearly feel his erection through his trousers as she slowly guided her hand along his hardness, stroking him through the tight material.  Turning her round to face him, they kissed with an urgency that told the other how desperately they wanted this. Unfastening the formal trousers she guided them over his toned cheeks, letting them fall around his ankles.

The intensity was building between them at a rapid pace as she moved her hands up to his back, beckoning him to follow her to the edge of the bed as their lips never once parted from the others. Tom loosened his tie from around his neck, depositing it on the floor as he seductively watched Sophia riding the hem of her dress up passed her thighs. Pulling him close to her, she slid her hands into his boxers, lowering them to join his trousers which he effortlessly stepped out of.

“I.want.you.” She said breathlessly between kisses, unbuttoning his shirt in a hurried manner. Wanting to continue to pleasure her, Tom gently teased his way up her inner thigh with his fingertips, touching her intimately through her panties, making her cry out once again. In a light, fluid motion he removed her underwear, sliding them down her long, slender legs before they fell to the floor. Stepping closer to her still, he brought her legs up around his waist, pushing her back up on to the edge of the bed. Gently running a single finger around her already wet clit, bringing her to the very brink of orgasam before he guided his hardness inside of her.

They both let out a pleasurable moan in unison as he pushed himself into her again, deeper this time, before he began to increase the intensity of his thrusts. Sophia’s hands made their way up and down his back and under his loose shirt, lightly digging her nails along his soft skin as she cried out again and again until they both screamed out, climaxing together.

Tom leaned down and kissed her once again, a loving kiss that told her just how much her being there meant to him. After a moment or two, he pulled himself slowly out of her, as gently as he could so as not to hurt her

“I think I need another shower.” He said smiling. Looking over at the clock next to the bed, Sophia advised,

“It’ll have to be quick though sweetheart, we don’t have long before we need to leave for the church.” Smiling to herself, she watched as he made his way back into the bathroom, relieving himself of his shirt.

 

To be continued...


	27. Chapter 27

As the late afternoon sun shone down on the quaint village church, the celebratory bells could be heard for miles around. Making their way out through the front doors, the wedding party were ushered towards a beautifully traditional bus which was to transport them to the reception venue. Whilst the not so well hidden paparazzi snapped away picture after picture of the departing guests, which included many famous faces, the bride and groom were able to secretly slip out of another entrance so not to be seen.  

The elegant vintage bus was soon making its way along the winding country lanes towards a magnificent fifteenth century manor house. Upon their arrival, Tom and Sophia, along with the other guests were escorted to a lavish marquee which had been assembled within the breathtaking gardens. Making their way inside, they were each handed a glass of champagne before joining the long line of guests waiting to be greeted by Benedict and Sophie.

Whilst they stood waiting patiently, Tom’s eyes were once again drawn to Sophia, as they had been so many times that afternoon in adoration for the woman who had truly captured his heart. Since her unexpected arrival earlier that day, he found himself seeing her almost as if for the first time. Having become so used to seeing her pregnant belly, he’d almost forgotten how beautiful her slim, curvaceous body was, emphasised now within this exquisite 50’s style dress she’d chosen to wear. He began to mentally undress her where she stood, wanting nothing more than to be locked away in their hotel room, where he would be making love to her all night long. He suddenly realised that those bewitching blue eyes of hers were now staring back at him lovingly. Tilting his head down to meet hers, he kissed her lips insatiably. Suddenly feeling a little mischievous, he playfully nipped her lower lip with his teeth, taking her by surprise.  

Sliding his hand to her waist, he pulled her close to him, enjoying the sweet smell of her perfume.

“You look absolutely breathtaking in that dress.” With a seductive grin spreading across his face, he added in a whisper, just loud enough for her alone to hear.

“...and I can’t wait to help you out of it later on!”

Raising her eyebrows and mirroring his look, Sophia gently took hold of his satin grey tie, twisting it within her dainty fingers. Pleased to have chosen to wear her stiletto heels, which brought her closer to his shoulder height, she was subtly able to whisper her response as she looked around, making sure no one was taking notice of them.

“And who says I’m going to let you?!” She winked at him teasingly before taking his hand and stepping forwards as they were now next in line to congratulate the new Mr and Mrs Cumberbatch.    

The happy couple appeared to be much more relaxed, now that they were surrounded by their family and close friends, within the security of the exclusively hired venue. Delighted at seeing the two of them, Benedict and Sophie embraced the couple in hugs before Ben took a moment to thank Tom for having been his best man.  

 

Taking their seats amongst the other wedding guests, Sophia began looking around at the beautifully decorated marquee. Their vintage theme had been continued throughout the wedding reception, with the use of soft pastel shades which were elegantly complemented by the draped ceiling which had been beautifully decorated with fairy lights.

It wasn’t long before the bride and groom were seated at the top table, the serving of the meal had now begun and the wine was flowing freely. There was a lively atmosphere as everyone relaxed and the conversations began around Tom & Sophia’s table. They were pleased to have been sat with some of Benedict’s co-stars from Sherlock, Andrew Scott, Martin Freeman and his wife Amanda Abbington. As so often, when Tom was with his fellow actors the conversation soon turned to work which left Sophia feeling a little distracted as she began to think of her precious Louis.

She knew that from her midwife's instructions that any milk she produced for the next twenty four hours would need to be discarded due to the levels of alcohol in her system. So she decided to allow herself this one time to not put her motherly duties first whilst her baby was so far away.

Quietly enjoying a glass of wine, the first since before she found out that she was pregnant, she couldn’t help finding she’d finished it a little quicker than anticipated.

 

Reaching over to the bottles that had been chilling in the ice buckets in the centre of the table, Sophia poured herself another glass. Slipping her clutch bag on to her lap and opening up the clasp, she took out her mobile phone. Seeing that she had a new message from Charlotte, she quickly opened it, instantly bringing a smile to her face which lit up her elegant features. A picture of her handsome little man, enjoying a bottle in the arms of his godfather Luke as they relaxed together on the sofa. She felt contented that he was safe and well as she began to relax. Amanda, who was sitting next to her, noticed her attention had been taken by something on her phone before seeing the beaming smile which she knew herself oh so well.

“Is that your little one?” Amanda asked, seeing the picture on the screen of Sophia’s phone.

“Yes it is!” Sophia responded happily. Turning her hand she allowed Amanda to see the image more clearly, which instantly received “ohh’s” and “ahh’s” in delight.

“This is the first time I’ve been apart from him since he was born and I’m missing him terribly. My best friend is looking after him whilst we are here and she just sent me this.” Sophia continued to smile as she looked down at the picture once again.  

“You are doing far better than I did the first time I left either of my two. Martin had to practically drag me out of the door as I recall.” Amanda commented at the sight of the tiny baby.  Martin, hearing his name mentioned, turned to look at the two women and nodded in agreement.

“It was hard for us both, but I think more for Amanda leaving them with someone else seemed so alien, so don’t be too hard on yourself. All parents go through it.” He reassured her.    

“How old are they now?” Sophia asked kindly.

“Joe is 9 and Grace is 7 but it doesn’t feel like a moment ago when they were both born.” Amanda took out her own phone and showed Sophia pictures of her beautiful children.

“Oh they are adorable.” Sophia said looking down at the smiling faces looking back at her.

“How are you finding motherhood?” Amanda asked intrigued.

Sophia thought for a moment, about all those sleepless nights, the dirty nappies and the constant crying at all hours of the day and night since Louis had been born. She’d had so much to cope with as a new mother, which as she thought back, she’d struggled through alone, unable to turn to Tom for his love and support having been so far away on location. Not wanting to give away her true feelings, or to be considered as anything less than a good mother, she simply smiled and replied thoughtfully,   

“I was scared at first, not knowing what to do, but now I love it. I love him more than life itself. He’s changing every single day and I don’t want to miss a moment of him growing up.”  Looking back down at her own photo, she couldn’t help but beam with pride as she stared at her son.

Talk around the table had soon changed to the upcoming awards season and the anticipation of Benedict’s Oscar and BAFTA nominations.  

 

Later into the evening, once the speeches and cake cutting had taken place with yet more champagne consumed, the band struck up and the guests made their way to the dancefloor for the couple’s first dance.  

As the familiar sounds to Ed Sheeran’s ‘Thinking out Loud’ echoed around the marquee, Benedict and Sophie began a very simple routine, which had been specifically choreographed with Sophie and her baby bump in mind.

The up tempo songs of the swing band soon followed and the guests joined the couple on the dancefloor.  

“May I have this dance m’lady?” Tom asked, taking Sophia’s hand, kissing it lightly.

Sophia smiled and put down her current glass of champagne, letting Tom draw her to her feet as she felt the alcohol she’d consumed flush her cheeks. He led her to the dance floor and gently spun her around, drawing her closer with one hand on her waist as they danced.

The music took a slower pace as the lead singer began to croon to Michael Buble’s ‘Have I Told You Lately That I Love You’ .

The two of them looked into each other's eyes, smiling lovingly as they glided into a basic two step. Taking her hand into his as she placed the other onto his broad shoulder, they began to move around the dancefloor, letting the music transport them into their own private moment of happiness. As they danced they became blissfully unaware of everyone around them, whose eyes were now watching them in awe.  

Sophia released her hand from his and glided it up to his other shoulder whilst Tom gently pulled her closer into him as they swayed in time to the music. Lowering his head, he leaned in close to her, stroking her cheek as he softly kissed her lips. She slid her hands into the nape of his neck and up into his soft curling hair. She could feel deep down inside, the want for him stirring, the need to be closer to him than ever as she slowly twisted her fingers around his dark chestnut locks.  In those few moments, everything around them faded into the background as they stared into each other's eyes, the music floating the two of them around the floor.

Feeling a little tired, Sophia suggested to Tom for them to head back to their seats so that she could rest for a while. Once they had reached their table, Tom noticed that Andrew and Martin had headed off to the bar for another round of drinks which was situated at the back of the marquee. After confirming Sophia’s choice of drink, he made his way through the collection of tables to join the others at the bar.  

“You looked wonderful out there together.” Amanda commented as Sophia sat down next to her.

“Thank you. It was wonderful to enjoy dancing again after feeling as though I was pregnant forever. We haven’t had all that many opportunities to let our hair down and enjoy ourselves since we first met.” Sophia explained.

“You’ve not been together long have you?” Amanda asked, happy to continue chatting away.

“Just under a year. We hadn’t been together long before we found out I was expecting. We love our little Louis dearly but I think this time away together has been so good for us as a couple.” Sophia looked over at Tom, who she was happy to see was looking back at her lovingly from across the room.    

“He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” She added, continuing to watch him as he turned back to his conversation with Martin.   

 

“Everyone, can I have your attention please?” Benedict asked, standing at the microphone on the stage where the band had previously been performing.

“Could I ask you all to make your way out on to the patio please. All will be revealed soon but make sure you wrap up warm.” He added, seeing a few hesitant looks from some of the female guests who were wearing skimpy dresses.  

Tom took to his feet and offered his hand to Sophia before sliding her white elegant coat onto her shoulders, beautifully showing off her curvaceous figure as it kicked out at the waist, finishing off the vintage look with a netted ruffle around the edge. She took a moment as they reached the doors to button up the double breasted woollen coat, desperately trying to keep out the cold she could already feel against her warm skin.  

Stepping out onto the stone path, hand in hand with Tom, Sophia could see her breath in front of her in the ice cold air as they made their way along to the patio following the line of victorian street lamps. The silence of the gardens had everyone intrigued, waiting to find out why they had all been gathered together. Suddenly the silence of the gardens was broken by the sound of a loud whistling, catching the guests unaware. Looking out across the lawn in search of what had created the noise, a loud explosion sounded high above their heads as a spectacular burst of green lights bathed the starlined sky. A collective gasp echoed around the mingling guests as the first of the fireworks burst to life, soon followed by a plethora of incredible colours exploding one after another in quick succession.

 

As they stood together hand in hand watching the captivating display, Tom moved silently to stand behind Sophia, enveloping her into his embrace. Holding her tightly into his body, he placed the softest of kisses on her flushed cheek, bringing a warm smile to her lips. She turned her head, staring up into his captivating eyes. Leaning his head down, he lowered his lips in search of her own, to share the most loving of kisses.  

A magnificent flash of red beams sparkled above them as another firework was released. Lighting up the night sky, the rocket radiated trails of silver and gold stars as it descended back down to earth.         

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking today…” Tom whispered into her ear, as he held her tightly in his arms, continuing to watch the fireworks as he spoke.        

“I love you so very much and I can not wait for you to become my wife. I really want us to set a date for the wedding.”

For a moment she could do nothing but smile, for she had thought of little else these last few weeks. As the large amount of alcohol she had consumed throughout the evening surged through her, bringing her emotions rushing to the surface, she suddenly felt the tears flowing freely down her cheeks in happiness.

Concerned at her lack of response, Tom turned her round to face him, the patio lights highlighting her tearstained face as he drew in a deep breath.

“Is that not what you want my darling? For us to be married and be a family?” He asked hesitantly, drawing his hand up to cup her cheek. She leaned into his hand, closing her eyes for a long moment before gazing up into his worried eyes.

Finding her voice at last as she slid her hand up to his and taking it in her grasp.

“Tom, for the last 9 months you have brought so much happiness to my life that I never thought possible. I have felt more love in these few short months than I have ever felt before. I feel complete when I am with you and I cannot wait to marry you, my love.” The tears quietly streamed down her face once again as she beamed up at him with every ounce of happiness she felt radiating through her.        

Upon hearing these reassuring words, he scooped her up into his arms, his lips once again finding hers, gently parting them to allow his tongue to find her own as he kissed her with the passion and desire he had felt for her on their first night together.  Gently pulling away, he affectionately stroked her cheek once again.   

“Let's choose a date as soon as we are home, so that we can finally be married.” As the fireworks continued around them, the couple held each other tightly, the anticipation and excitement of their own wedding now soon to take place.

  
At the end of the firework display, the guests clapped and cheered loudly before hurriedly making their way back into the warmth of the marquee where they were served mulled wine and brandies before the dancing began again. Sophia and Tom were soon being coerced into joining Andrew, Martin and Amanda at the bar with a selection of drinks before the champagne began to flow once more as the celebrations continued until the early hours.   

 

To be continued...


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy this chapter... It was a joint effort with the incredibly talented Alex Kindness to bring out the very best in the characters :D (it's also one of my favourites so far!) Don't forget to leave me your comments :D

Their journey back to the hotel seemed to take no time at all, and they were soon making their way up the large wooden staircase, both feeling rather drunk.

Sliding the key into the lock, Tom made an exaggerated bow as he held the door open for Sophia who curtsied before giggling and making her way inside the room.

Ensuring the “do not disturb” sign was hanging from the door handle, he followed her into the room, closing the door behind him. As he turned to face the room, slipping his tails jacket off of his shoulders, he draped it over a nearby chair, his tie already tucked into his inside pocket. He could just make out in the darkness of the room that she was stood still, about to take off her shoes.

“I think you should keep those on.” His smooth voice echoed across the room, whilst unable to hide his inebriated state as he walked slowly towards her.   

“Oh you do, do you?” She replied, raising her eyebrows in response, trying herself to sound sober. Lowering his head slightly, fixing his eyes on her, he grinned, the look on his face pure mischief, reminding Sophia of that roguish Loki grin of his.

“Well Mr Hiddleston, I think you’re drunk and so I am going to bed!” Sophia scolded him playfully, turning back around as she reached for the zip on her dress.

“I am not drunk, I am Loki of Asgard and I am burdened with glorious purpose!” He spoke in that all too familiar voice that Sophia had always found so incredibly sexy. That rich, deep rasp of self assurance brought out a deep low moan she could not control, alerting him to this unspoken desire she held of his tormented and troubled character as it sent a shiver down her spine.  Turning back to look at him once more, he saw the desire in her eyes. He smiled inwardly, realising he had unexpectedly stumbled on a secret fantasy.

He straightened and planted his feet wide, lifting his chin to look down at her, taking a moment to slip into the mindset of Loki. A wicked glint entered his eyes as he noticed Sophia was watching him with a mixture of fascination and desire.

“Oh, you like that do you Midgardian?” He stepped closer to her again, his face impassive, but for the glint of mischief in his eyes. He stood close enough to her that his breathing stirred her hair, causing her to shiver in anticipation. Realising he intended to continue in character, she decided to play along. He felt her body tense as his words began to have their desired effect as Sophia bit her lip, her breathing ragged already.

“Yes, my king.” She said softly. She felt his hand gently guiding the zip down towards her lower back before sliding the dress to the floor. Taking a step forwards and out of the dress, Tom picked up the now discarded item of clothing and placed it with his jacket on the chair.  

He took his time as he undid the buttons of his shirt, slipping it from his shoulders in one smooth movement and letting it drop to the floor, unheeded.

“Turn.” He ordered. Following his instruction, she turned slowly to face him. Looking up into his handsome features, Sophia no longer saw her happy go lucky Tom, but instead his face was now unreadable as he had slipped into character in front of her. She couldn’t help feeling a little exposed standing in front of him, as she now stood in just her underwear and heels, unable to escape the sensation that she was in front of another man entirely.  Through the darkness she felt the intensity of his stare, feasting on her near nakedness as he began to look her up and down as though for the first time. This new demeanor intimidated her a little, as they both stood there draped in the shadows of the room.  As the moments passed, neither of them spoke nor moved as he drank her in.

When he spoke, it seemed as though his words were no longer his own, breaking the silence between them.

“You look simply ravishing standing there my dear,” He enunciated each word as he spoke, slowly and concisely, as he examined her minutely.

“I see the desire burning clearly in your eyes as you recall the times you have whispered and moaned my name, begging for me to come and touch you, to claim you. I have been listening my dear,” He murmured, resting a hand on her collarbone, and sliding it up her warm flesh to rest his thumb on her parted lips. “And I am here to bring your desires to life.”

His eyes fixed on hers intently as her breath hitched in her throat.

“Others may see your beautiful wide eyes and mistake it for innocence…”  His eyes never leaving her soft face as he saw a blush mantle her cheeks, he leant forward to brush the curve of her ear with his lips “But I know better!”  

She closed her eyes as he spoke, biting down gently on his thumb, his voice taking over her, mind, body and soul, igniting a burning desire to be possessed by this man.

“I see your face blush as I step closer to you, taste your longing in the air that you breathe...surrender to me and I will give you all that you desire, Midgardian.” Her breathing was now heavier as he took his hand from her face and lightly traced the curve of her hip, using his broad hand to grip her firmly.

“I shall take you, slowly, intimately, as no mortal has before.” Reaching her hands out to touch him, the need to feel him coursing through her, he let out a small, mischievous laugh.

“Not until you surrender yourself to me, my pet.” He whispered into her ear. In between the low moans, she managed to breathlessly allow him the answer he required,

“Yes!”

The self satisfied smile etched across his face as he continued his slow exploration of her intoxicating body, trailing his long fingers across her trembling skin

“Your king desires to give to you a gift, sweet mortal, but for that we must find you a more comfortable position in which to receive this gift. Come.” He held his arm out, gesturing for her to make her way to the bed and motioned for her to sit.

 

The brightness of the moonlight shone through the open window, bathing the large welcoming bed with its silvery light as she did as she was instructed. She could feel her whole body desperately yearning for his touch, his words had formed the start of her undoing.

Sophia watched as Tom stood in front of her, the dim light illuminating his magnificent physical form. Slowly, he began to undo his tight trousers, which she could now see restrained his prominent erection.  Seeing her eyes widen, Tom grinned wickedly as he released the waistband of his trousers from his grasp, allowing them to fall freely to his ankles. Effortlessly, he removed his shoes and slid his gathered trousers from him in one swift movement. He turned his attention back to Sophia, who had remained silent as she sat in front of him, waiting in anticipation as to his intentions. Lowering himself onto his knees, his eyes never leaving hers as he once again spoke firmly in the distinct voice of Loki.

“Little one, I am going to give you all that you desire and more. If I should be unable to hear your moans I will have no choice but to punish you as I take what is rightfully mine.” He intoned. Placing his hand gently around her ankle, bringing it to his lips, he softly began to leave a trail of kisses along her smooth skin. With each kiss he could hear Sophia’s gentle moans of pleasure as though he was sending tiny sparks of electricity through her body with his every touch.  He continued this welcomed assault upon her body, working his way slowly up her calf to her knee. Bracing his hands on her knees, he climbed higher still and began to stroke his wet tongue along her skin as he reached the inside of her thigh, biting her gently. Hearing her voice become more hoarse as she quietly screamed out, he found his way to her satin panties, kissing her delicate spot through the thin material. Her body bowed on the bed, her hands grasping at the bedsheets as she felt him invade her soft folds with his tongue, delicately caressing her entrance, causing her to scream out his name.

“Oh yes, Tom. YES!”

Upon hearing the use of the Midgardians’ name, he withdrew from between her thighs to look up at her sternly.

“You will address me by my name, my sweet mortal or as ‘my king’...otherwise there will be consequences.” He watched her for a moment until she nodded in understanding. Lowering his head back down, he heard her gentle voice whisper,

“Yes Loki, my king.” The sides of his mouth twitched in satisfaction as he drew in a deep breathe of her arousal. He took her hips firmly in his hands and drew her to him, hooking her long legs over his broad shoulders and he began as he had a few moments before, caressing and pleasuring her with his fingers and tongue, to the brink of climax. Each time he could hear in her moans that she was close, he would slow right down, teasing her again and again as she groaned, pushing herself down to encourage him as she shuddered in delight at his touch, begging him to bring her to completion.    

         Delirious with pleasure, Sophia barely noticed him slipping off her panties or removing his own boxer shorts before she felt his hands travel up her body until his aquiline features filled her vision. She wrapped her legs around him, still wearing the black stilettos, as she felt him pressing at her entrance. She slid her hands up his muscular arms, and gripped his biceps as he eased himself within her, releasing an exultant cry from her lips. Sophia threw her head back as she surrendered herself completely to the pleasure and whims of her very own god of mischief.

 

To be continued...


	29. Chapter 29

It was early when the sun began to rise over the quiet harbour, shining through into the room and stirring Tom from his slumber. Peering out from beneath his half opened eyes, he smiled to himself seeing Sophia still fast asleep next to him, worn out from their passionate night of lovemaking. Leaning across, he placed the softest of kisses on her forehead before climbing out of bed and sliding on his boxers. Quietly walking over to the window, he stared out at the crisp January morning contentedly. His eyes began to watch the tiny sailboats which were moored just offshore, rocking in the calming water of the bay.

The serenity of the quiet coastal town was becoming more appealing to him the longer he was there. Imagining their lives as they enjoyed the anonymity of this little island and its privacy to bring up Louis away from any media interruptions, something he knew would only continue to gather momentum if they continued to live in London. This was not something he wanted his little family to be subjected to if he could help it. He thought back to the short break away in Cyprus he and Sophia had enjoyed and their conversations then about how important it was to them both to keep their family out of the spotlight as much as possible.   

Turning back to watch Sophia as she slept on, he thanked his lucky stars for chance meetings, for which without them, he couldn’t possibly have imagined knowing the purest of happiness, the likes of which now consumed him.  

He saw from the clock on the bedside table that it was only 5:15am, but he felt no desire to sleep any further, opting instead to take an early morning walk. Choosing a pair of blue denim jeans, a white shirt and a navy blue knitted cardigan which he zipped half way up his chest before slipping on his socks and shoes in silence. Finally he took out his casual winter coat from the wardrobe before heading back to the window, where he released the curtains from their tie-backs darkening the room in the hope that Sophia would sleep for several more hours.

Pulling the door closed behind him, Tom made his way towards the staircase and down into the lobby, not meeting another soul as he left the hotel. The streets were eerily quiet as he wandered slowly along in the direction of the harbour. His mind began to wander as he thought about being a father to Louis, wanting to be there for him as he grew up whilst knowing that there would be so many special moments in his life that he would sadly miss due to being away so often. It was only now, that he could truly appreciate why Chris had been so determined to have his family close to him as they filmed the second Thor movie. Having them on set with him, brought him more happiness than he could possibly explain, especially to be with his daughter on her first birthday.     

Sitting himself down on a wooden bench, he looked out over the still water of the bay, enjoying the silence, with the exception of a few gulls flying around in search of food as he watched the sun come up. He took out his phone and began looking through the collection of photos he already had of his son. The word rolled around on his tongue, still feeling somewhat foreign to him. Having only been able to spend those precious first two weeks with Louis after he was born, before he’d had to leave due to filming, had taken all of his willpower not to fly home at every opportunity to be with both him and Sophia. He’d barely been home a day this week before he’d had to travel down here to the Isle of Wight for the wedding, meaning that he’d had almost no time again with his baby boy. He couldn’t wait to get home tonight, to hold him in his arms, to kiss his delicate head and to enjoy all the little things he had missed. He couldn’t wait to take him out for a stroll in his pushchair to the park, feed him his nighttime bottle, and simply letting him fall asleep on his chest whilst they had some father-son time.

He was determined to make sure that he was going to be there for him as much as he possibly could.    

 

Sophia glided her hand across the bedsheets in search of him, and was surprised to find the sheets cold and empty. Opening her eyes she was disheartened to find herself alone. Pulling the sheets up around her naked body, she sat up and looked around in the hope that he had left her a note, but there wasn’t anything waiting for her. In her disappointment at waking alone, she decided to make herself a cup of tea. Wrapping the sheet around herself, she made her way over to the desk where she found a selection of flavoured teas, along with the kettle, teapot and milk. As the water soon boiled, Sophia chose a traditional English breakfast tea, adding milk and sugar before making herself comfy in one of the two tall armchairs next to the window. Pulling back the curtains to enjoy the spectacular views, she pulled her knees up to her chest as she curled up into the chair, with her hands wrapped around the white china mug.

She was around halfway through her tea when she heard the keycard in the lock, turning her head towards the door just as it opened to see Tom standing in the doorway.

“Good morning beautiful.” He said happily, seeing that she was already awake. Slipping off his coat and disregarding it on the chair where his suit jacket remained from the night before.  

“Where have you been?” She asked concerned as he reached her. She turned her head away from him as he leaned in to kiss her, taking him by surprise.

“Sweetheart? What’s wrong?” He asked worriedly, kneeling down at her side and taking her hand into his.

“I was just disappointed to wake up without you that’s all. It’s the first morning we’ve been able to wake up together and, I…” She hesitated over her words, feeling her cheeks blush, “I was hoping to thank you for last night.”

Seeing her drop her gaze in embarrassment, he gently placed his thumb and forefinger under her chin, bringing her eyes up to meet his.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here with you. I woke early and decided to go for a walk to clear to head, but I’m back now.” He leaned in and softly kissed her parted lips. Leaning back away from his kiss, she looked questioningly into his troubled eyes.  

“What did you have to clear your mind from?” She asked, determined to get an answer at least one of her questions.

“I was feeling guilty.” He said simply, causing her to gasp in alarm.

“And what were you feeling guilty about?” She couldn’t look at him, terrified of the possibilities of his answer.    

“About not being a good enough father to Louis and for not being there for you when you need me.” Whatever the answer she thought she was going to here, it was not this. Hearing the sadness in his voice brought her up short, looking up into his handsome face she felt a lump build in her throat at his heartbreaking words.

“Tom, what on earth has made you think that? You are a wonderful father and Louis loves you, as do I.” Sophia stroked his cheek softly as she spoke, still bewildered as to where this had come from.

“I‘ve barely spent any time with Louis or you since he was born and I have been feeling so guilty. The whole time I was away, I just wanted to come home to the two of you. I missed you so much.” His voice was barely a whisper as he opened up to her about how he had been feeling. Enveloping her arms around his shoulders, she pulled him close to her and held him tightly.

“I don’t want to miss him growing up or miss any of the landmarks in his life, his first step, his first word, his first day at school. They are such important times in his life and I hate to think that I might not always be able to be there for them. I love him so much and it’s breaking my heart.” Loosening her hold, she leant back once again to stare into his handsome features.

“Sweetheart, I know it’s been hard for you being away but honestly I understand, it’s part of what you do and yes it has been hard sometimes but we will get through it. Louis loves his daddy and will be so excited to see you tonight when we get home. There will be times when you can’t be there but we will do everything we can to make sure you are, whether it be that we come out to visit you wherever you are, or we skype but we will be together as a family I promise.” Sophia kissed his forehead reassuringly, desperate to show him they were together in this as she saw the pain written across his gentle features.

 

The room was drowned in the sound of Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky” as Sophia’s phone rang out from within her handbag that had remained on the chair with Tom’s suit jacket from the night before. She remained in her seat, continuing to hold Tom in his hour of need, when he looked up to her questioningly.    

“Aren’t you going to get that? What if it’s important?” He asked, the raw emotion of their intimate moment together evident in his voice.

“You are my only priority right now, anything else can wait.” She soothingly brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead before placing another sweet kiss in its place. The smallest of smiles formed on his ample lips as he reassured himself that she had really meant everything she’d said.

A moment later and the song rang out, this time alerting both Tom and Sophia that something may not all be well with the persistent caller. Meeting her eyes, Tom nodded in agreement as he saw Sophia contemplate answering the call.

“It’s ok, it might be important.” He said allowed, releasing his arms from around her waist.

Standing up out of the armchair, she slid her fingers through his darkened curls affectionately as she slid past him and made her way over to her handbag on the other side of the room.  Sliding her phone out into her palm, which had now ceased ringing once again showed two missed calls from Charlotte. Instantly the colour drained from her face, her hands shaking with fear as she fumbly attempted to select the number to call her back, fearing the worst. Seeing this sudden change in Sophia’s persona, Tom was quickly on his feet and at her side as she hit the speaker button so he could hear both sides of the conversation.

The dialling tone had only made one complete ring before Charlotte’s voice, full of concern could be heard on the other end.

“Soph’ I’m sorry to call so early…” She began, trying to keep the calmness in her tone as she answered.

“What’s wrong?” Sophia cut her off as she heard Louis’s quiet cries in the background, desperate to know why she was calling.

“Stop panicking ok. I just called because Louis doesn’t seem himself this morning.” Sophia’s eyes met with Tom’s as they listened intently.

“He didn’t take any of his 5am feed this morning and he’s has been rather grizzly for the last couple of hours so I wanted to check to see if he’s been under the weather?” Charlotte paced the lounge worriedly, hoping that her concern wasn’t too obvious in her voice as she spoke.

“No, he’s been fine the last few days. Try giving him a tepid bath, that might sooth him, along with the baby oil that’s in the overnight bag. In the meantime I’ll come straight home,” She said instantly, not hesitating to consider the plans that had already been made for that evening. Tom looked at her, a mixture of concern for his son and disappointment that they would no longer be attending the awards event that evening.

“I’ll be there in few hours hun so try not to worry. If he gets any worse, ring the emergency ‘111’ line. Keep me updated and I’ll see you soon.” She hung up the call, her hands shaking. Tom took her hands into his and held them tightly.

“He’ll be ok, I’m sure of it. We’ll pack quickly and leave as soon as we can. I’ll call reception now and arrange a taxi to the ferry.”

Tom held his arms open towards her as she threw her own around him, clinging to him tightly.  They stood for a moment in their embrace, worried for their son. He kissed her forehead lightly, gently stroking his fingers along her soft cheek which were now a deep crimson.

“Let’s get home to our boy.” He told her lovingly, kissing her sweet tender lips.

 

Standing out on the deck of the ferry, they quietly watched as the Southampton coastline came into view, neither feeling the need to make conversation with the other. Digging her hands deeper into her coat pockets, Sophia shuddered from the cold wind that blew as she stood wrapped in Tom’s arms where he had planted himself behind her silently.

It wasn’t long before they were pulling into the dock, already able to see Clark parked up waiting for them following Tom’s urgent call to request for him to meet them at the port.

Taking their bags and leading the way off the boat, Tom headed towards the car with Sophia closely at his side. Clark opened the boot of the car before taking the luggage from Tom who moved around the car to open the rear door for Sophia, who slid into her seat without a word.

“Quick as you can please Clark.” Tom placed a hand on Clark’s shoulder as he held the door open for him to join Sophia in the back of the car. Clark nodded and closed the door once Tom was safely in his seat.

 

The journey up the motorway felt like a lifetime for them both as they flew along the fast lane at a much quicker speed than they would normally travel. Tom looked over to Sophia, who had been staring distractedly out of the window for some time. He gently squeezed her hand before lifting it towards him, placing a kiss on the back of her pale skin. Turning her head, he saw a distracted look in her eyes as she contemplated some distant thought before thinking better of it. She twisted in her seat, unclipped her seat belt and slid herself closer to him. He held his arm up to allow her to tuck herself into his torso before resting her head on his chest. As the blacked out saloon made its way towards London, he held her tightly, stroking his long fingers along her blonde hair, silently reassuring her that all would be well once they held their son in their arms once more.

 

It was mid afternoon when they finally arrived outside Luke & Charlotte’s apartment building, the two of them rushed to the door, ringing the buzzer to allow them entrance. Without speaking, the person on the other end released the lock and they made their way inside to the lift.

Luke was stood at the open door to the apartment as they stepped out of the lift. Rushing towards him, Sophia’s face told him how worried she was as he stepped aside to allow her to pass. She hurried into the lounge, finding Charlotte stood looking out of the balcony window with Louis cradled in her arms asleep.       

“How is he?” Sophia asked, rushing over to them in a panic. Tom and Luke entered the room just behind her.

“He seems to have settled enough to fall asleep but he’s been really grizzly for most of the morning.” Charlotte explained as Sophia tucked her fingers around his tiny hand and leaning into kiss his head affectionately.

“Can I?” She asked, gesturing to take him from Charlotte’s arms.

“Of course!” Charlotte replied as she slid Louis into his mother’s waiting arms.

Joining her at her side, Tom slid an arm around her as he held the two of them close. Watching his son fast asleep brought all of his feelings from earlier that morning back to him and promised himself he would be the best father he could be for him.

“Let’s get him home shall we?” Tom suggested. Sophia nodded and kissed her baby’s head in relief of having him with her once again.

Luke had already gathered Louis’s things together ready for their arrival.

“I’ll help you take these down to the car.” He offered, picking up the overnight bag and moses basket.

“Thank you for having Louis and Cookie for us. I’m sorry he’s been a bit teary this morning, it’s not like him at all.” Sophia said hugging Charlotte after placing him in the travel seat and tucking him in with a blanket.

“It’s been our pleasure, we’ve loved having a chance to spend time with him and Cookie has been no trouble at all. I’m sorry you had to cut your trip short.” Charlotte replied, feeling guilty for their early departure from the wedding celebrations.

“It’s absolutely fine, we were travelling back today anyway as Tom has an awards event he needs to go to tonight. Plus, anything to do with this little one and I’d drop everything to be here when he needs me.” She smiled, looking down at him contentedly sleeping away.

Luke looked to Tom upon hearing Sophia mention the awards event they were due to attend that evening.

“I’m guessing you’d like me to let them know you won’t be attending?” He said taking out his phone in anticipation.

“They haven’t advised of the winner of your category so there is a chance of you getting it...might be worth considering, depending on how Louis is later.” He added, seeing the deliberation across Tom’s face as he bent down to scoop the puppy up into his arms.    

“I’ll let you know later.” Tom replied, looking over to Sophia as she walked over to join them carrying the baby in his seat.

“You could always skip the red carpet and slip in a side door if you wanted, it’s an option to consider anyway.” Luke suggested, helping them out to the car with the baby’s things.

 

Louis was still fast asleep when they arrived home. Settling him into his moses basket and relaxing themselves onto the couch, Sophia and Tom breathed a sigh of relief as they watched their little man sleep.

The two of them curled up together, enjoying the peace and serenity of being back in their home. They soon fell quietly off to sleep in each other's arms after what had been a stressful and emotional day.

 

Waking up to the sound of Louis’s cries, Sophia jumped with a start, unwrapping herself from Tom’s hold. She scooped the baby up into her arms, recognising his hungry cry and made her way out into the kitchen to warm up one of the refrigerated bottles of milk whilst she still had the remnants of last night's alcohol in her system. 

Tom soon stirred from his unexpected afternoon nap, looking down to check the time and was surprised it was now 5:45pm. 

“Are you going to start getting ready?” Sophia asked as she entered the room a few minutes later with Louis, who was already enjoying his bottle. 

“I don’t think I’m going to go, I should be here with the two of you.” He replied, sitting up and stretching. Slowly getting to his feet, he then began to pace the room in an attempt to wake himself up.    

Sophia watched him for a moment before contemplating the options.

“I know what we talked about this morning, but I really think you should go.” She watched concerned as he continued to walk around the room, running his fingers through his ruffled chestnut hair in contemplation.

“Why not take Luke’s suggestion and just go for the awards you need to be there for and then leave early so you don’t have to go through the pleasantries of the after party if you don’t want to go to that?” Sophia suggested. She didn’t really want him to go but if there was a chance he could win an award for his theatre portrail in ‘Corialanus’ then he should be there to accept it, knowing how proud of the production he was.   

Walking back over to her and Louis, he leaned down and softly kissed her.

“Thank you my love, you always know just the right things to say.” He smiled before heading out of the room to change.

 

Looking down at Louis, who was now contentedly suckling away, Sophia couldn’t take her eyes away from this tiny person, who had so quickly come to mean everything to her.

“My handsome little Prince,” She cooed, Softly stroking his lightly coloured hair.

“Daddy and I love you so very much Louis. Sometimes it will just be you and me while daddy has to go away to work, but we will always know he loves us wherever he is and we will be right here waiting for him won’t we?” She couldn’t help but smile as Louis opened his eyes for the briefest of moments, looking up into her eyes as though somehow he understood what she was saying.

Once he had had as much milk as he could possibly consume and had been winded, it was time for a bath. Sophia made her way up the stairs, juggling the baby in one arm and his moses basket in the other. She settled him down for a moment in the basket while she prepared his baby bath which stood on a stand in the main bathroom. Unfastening his babygrow and lowering him gently into the lukewarm water, Louis giggled as she began to scoop the water into her hand and gliding it over his little body. She couldn’t help but laugh at the angelic sound of his giggle which had soon caught the attention of Tom, whose face appeared around the bathroom door upon hearing their laughter.

“What’s going on in here?” He asked in a quizzical but light hearted tone, delighted to see the wide smiles on both of their faces upon seeing him.

“Someone sounds like he’s enjoying bathtime tonight.” Tom said happily as he pushed the door open further and stepping into the room, now dressed in a navy blue suit, white shirt and a dark blue tie loosely placed around his neck.

“He does love bathtime! Maybe we could try taking him swimming in a few months when he’s a bit bigger. The pool at the gym is usually quiet during the day so that might be something we could all do together when you’re not filming.” She suggested as she lifted Louis out of the water and wrapped him up into a towel, cradling him in her arms.

“I think that sounds like a great idea!” Tom replied, holding the door open for her to take the baby through into the nursery, kissing her lovingly as she stepped past.

 

“Clark’s here darling.” Sophia called out from the bedroom window where she had been on lookout whilst Tom quickly ran a comb through his hair in the reflection of the mirror within the on-suite before taking a handful of wax and glided it over his hands before running his fingers through his hair.

“I’ll be just a second.” He replied, replacing the lid on the wax and ruffling up the front of his hair. He’d decided to keep his facial hair for the night rather than shaving as he had initially intended, now having a couple of days worth of growth, which he couldn’t help but think made him look slightly older and more sophisticated.

Stepping back into the bedroom he saw Sophia was now dressed in her comfy PJ’s and dressing gown. She made her way towards him, wrapping her arms around him tightly before kissing him lovingly. Unable to hide his disappointment at attending the event alone he couldn’t help but try to change her mind.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come with me? It’d mean so much more if you’re there.” He asked hopefully.

“I can’t sweetheart. You’re ready to go, Clark’s here and there’s no one to have the baby at this short notice. No, you go and have a lovely time. I will be keeping everything crossed for you.” She hugged him once more as he nodded in understanding. He kissed her goodnight and promised to be back in time for Louis’s next feed in a few short hours.

 

Sophia felt as though she’d been asleep all night when she woke to the feeling Tom’s warm hands sliding over her waist. He snuggled into bed a few hours later and wrapped himself tightly around her.

“Umm...Your hands feel wonderful.” She grinned sleepily as they glided underneath her vest top and rested on her stomach.

“I just finished having cuddles with my best boy whilst he had his bottle so we have a few hours of quiet time now before he wakes again.” Tom explained, wrapping his legs around hers in an attempt to warm his feet which were not so warm!

“TOM! Your feet are freezing, get off!!” She exclaimed trying to pull herself free from his hold, but he kept his arms tightly around her laughing at her squeals.

“Shhh! You’ll wake the baby!” He whispered, unable to keep the laughter from his voice.        

“You Mr, will be in trouble if you keep that up!” She laughed, now turning over to face him. Through the darkness she could see his bottom lip had now curled up and his big puppy eyes were staring at her in an over exaggerated look of sadness, knowing she couldn’t stay mad at him for long looking like that. She soon caved in, kissing him softly before resting her head on his chest and wrapping her arms around him, cuddling up to him in the hope of soon falling back to sleep.

 

To be continued...


	30. Chapter 30

“So do I get to find out where are we going yet?” Tom asked as he packed the pile of clothes Sophia had pre-selected for him into a small weekend bag.

“If I told you that, it wouldn’t be a surprise would it?!” Sophia replied, giving him a satisfied grin as she zipped up her small suitcase with relish and placed it on the floor next to the bed.

“Are you ready to go?” She asked, seeing him nod, she made her way over to him and pulled him into a hug whilst she raised herself up to kiss him tenderly on the lips.

Hearing the doorbell ring out, she slipped out of his arms and kissed him lightly once more.

“Happy Birthday baby!” She smiled, looking up into his heart-warming eyes before heading downstairs to answer the door.

Tom smiled and picked up his black leather duffle bag and slid it onto his shoulder, leaving both hands free to pick Louis up out of his moses basket and carry him downstairs.

“It sounds like Nanny’s here, little man.”  He said aloud, as they heard voices coming from the lounge. He was delighted to see his mum sitting on the sofa talking away to Sophia when he entered. Upon seeing Tom and Louis, Diana got to her feet and kissed his cheek, wishing him a happy birthday.

“Oh my, haven’t you grown!” She exclaimed, looking down at Louis who was watching her intently.  

“Come to Nanny!” She held out her hands ready to take hold of her grandson for some well overdue cuddles.

Sophia left Tom and his mum to catch up and to bring her up to speed on the latest arrangements they had made for the Christening whilst she made some last minute phone calls to confirm all of the arrangements she had made were in place for their night away.

“We’ve finally managed to confirm a date for the Christening with the church. We’ve arranged it for Sunday 1st March at St Margaret’s Church. Hopefully that will give everyone enough time to arrange travel plans and work schedules to be there. It seems a little on the grand side for a Christening but...”  Tom explained, his mum cutting him off mid sentence.

“...But as it’s been our local church since you were a child. It’s the most obvious place to have it though and the Dean would be so happy to meet the next generation of Hiddleston’s”  Diana reassured him, taking his hand into hers.

“It would be a wonderful wedding location too!” She added giving him a wide smile as she raised her eyebrows at him expectantly.

“Oh no, I’d much prefer to do it abroad. Something simple but elegant.” Looking around furtively to ensure Sophia wasn’t about to walk in the room, he took out his phone to show her just where he had in mind.    

 

Joining them back in the lounge a while later carrying her bag, Sophia announced that Clark would be arriving in five minutes, much to Tom’s surprise. Diana, who was in on the plan, handed Louis back to Tom so he could say his goodbyes whilst she collected Louis’s overnight bag ready to take him home with her. Sophia joined Tom to give Louis kisses and cuddles just as the doorbell rang.

“That’ll be Clark.” Sophia said happily as she placed the baby into his travel seat. She couldn’t help but feel uneasy about leaving him after the last time but she knew he was in safe hands with her soon to be mother-in-law and so tried to relax and make the most of spoiling Tom on his birthday.

Still very much in the dark as to where they were going, Tom watched the scenery intently as they left the bustling city behind and headed out towards the motorway. Whilst they had some time to themselves, Sophia decided that maybe now was a good time to discuss their wedding plans

“Sweetheart, I know we mentioned at Ben and Sophie’s wedding about making arrangements for our own ceremony, but I just wondered if you’d managed to check your upcoming schedule so we can decide a date at least? There is so much to begin planning if it’s going to be this year.”

 “It’s funny you should mention it actually, because I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” He began, looking down at their intertwined hands and at her shining engagement ring which had caught his eye.

“Oh really? As long as it’s that you still want to then that’s ok!” She said with a nervous laugh. Her recurring fear, that this was all just a fairytale, sprung to mind, causing her to clutch at Tom’s large hand engulfing hers conveyed her fears to him involuntarily.

“Of course I do!” He replied quickly, seeing the worry cross her face. He had come to know her so well now, already anticipating the doubt would be creeping in and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“In actual fact I’ve been thinking about where we should get married. What are your thoughts about going away to do it?” He asked, not entirely sure how much of a traditional wedding she’d had in mind.

She thought for a long moment before looking into his eyes, trying not to show her hesitation to his question.

“What do you mean, like elope and go to somewhere like Vegas? Just the two of us doing it in secret?”

“Oh no darling definitely not! I was thinking something more like this.”  Taking out his phone, he showed Sophia a photograph of a beautiful set up of an intimate wedding ceremony on a white sandy beach, with the most incredible blue sky and the ocean in the background. Staring at the photo for a moment, Sophia was speechless at just how perfect this scene was, how much it resembled what she had always dreamt of. Suddenly she felt the tears rolling silently down her cheeks as she continued to look down at his phone.

“If you don’t like it sweetheart it’s fine, it was just an idea...” Tom began but Sophia placed a delicate finger to his lips before he could finish. Shaking her head, she replaced her finger with her tear stained lips, kissing him with all the love that she possessed.  

“Oh Tom it’s perfect!” She gently wiped her eyes, trying not to smudge her makeup.

“Ever since I was young I’d always dreamt of having my wedding on a beautiful beach, surrounded by those closest to me whilst I married the man I loved. I never thought it would come true.” She blushed, unable to keep her eye contact with him as she felt her embarrassment welling up at the admission of this secret wish.

“Then my darling, that is exactly what we will do because I want you to have your dream wedding,” He told her tenderly, lifting her chin to regain her eye contact.

“You really are the most incredible woman I have ever met and I am so lucky to get to spend the rest of my life with you.” Smiling widely, he leant across and kissed her deeply. Sitting back in his seat, he couldn’t help but smile from ear to ear as he gazed at her lovingly.  Sophia looked down once again at the image of the beach wedding, already imagining their perfect day.

“Have you noticed where that was taken?” He asked her, grinning to himself as she looked closer at the picture. After a moment he saw the realisation spread across her beautiful face, the jubilation evident from her radiant expression.

“Is that…?” She began, squinting her eyes, examining the picture closely

“Our beach in Cyprus, where you made me the happiest man alive by agreeing to become my wife? Yes it is!” He finished her sentence for her, unable to contain his happiness at her reaction to his choice of location for the wedding.

“Oh my goodness Tom! That would be just so perfect!” She exclaimed clapping her hands together.           

“So the next question is when?” She said exuberantly.

“How about the 25th of June? I’m scheduled to be in Majorca for most of the month filming but I’ve managed to secure a few days away from set...and have also provisionally held the date with the wedding planner in Cyprus for a beach wedding.” He watched her face as she once again took in his words and the pure delight at realising what he had said.

“You’ve already held the date?! A wedding planner?!” She could barely speak from her shock now at this most exciting news and just how busy he had been without telling her.

“I hope you don’t mind, my love, but when I realised we could get married where I had proposed to you, I couldn’t help myself. I want to marry you so much and to work the wedding around all my filming it just seemed too perfect to pass up.”

“Mind? Sweetheart I am ecstatic that you have arranged all this for us!” Sophia felt overwhelmed at the thought that they would finally be married in just four months time.   

 

Finally pulling off of the motorway, they were soon making their way along winding country roads before reaching their intended destination for the weekend.

Seeing Tom’s face light up as they passed the welcome sign announcing that they had arrived into Stratford Upon Avon brought Sophia a reassuring smile and sense of relief that she had chosen just the right location for their retreat.     

It was a short drive through the town, following the busy flow of traffic heading towards the hotel. As they entered the main bridge, crossing over the River Avon, they were given their first glance of the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Theatre. Standing magnificently at the water’s edge, the newly refurbished play house hosted some of the writers most loved work, whilst at its banks, a flurry of open sided boats packed with tourists taking in some of the sights of the town along the river.

A few moments later they arrived outside the hotel, with its exquisite period frontage and tudor history. Having pre-arranged an early check in with the friendly receptionist earlier that morning, they were soon making their way up the steep winding staircase to their suite which overlooked the peaceful landscaped gardens.

The luxurious room boasted yet more of the buildings original timber beams within the sloping roof whilst the lure of the extremely large soft bed was almost impossible to ignore. Closing the door behind him, Tom placed their luggage down next to the bed and took her into his strong muscular arms. Holding her to his chest, he leaned his head down and softly brushed his lips against her forehead.

“Thank you my darling, for arranging this most wonderful surprise.” Sweeping her hair back from her face, he looked down into her eyes before drawing her into a deep, lingering kiss. As they drew apart, Tom gently slid his fingers along her soft, warm cheek bringing a wanting smile to her lips.

“There are more surprises to come.” She told him slyly, with just a subtle hint of deliciousness bubbling to the surface as she grinned wickedly.

“Oh is there now?!” He replied, as he slid his hands to her waist before picking her up and gently lowering her onto the bed. With an equally mischievous grin he climbed on top of her, kissing her once again.

“That wasn’t quite what I meant!” She giggled between kisses.

“Oh, maybe I should stop then.” He retorted questioningly, whilst he began to place the softest of kisses along her delicate jawline and descending down her thin neck hearing no word of protest as her overwhelming desire for him to continue took hold of her.

 

“We should get dressed, we have so much to see whilst we’re here.” Sophia announced sleepily, draping her arm across his bare chest as she tucked herself into his loving embrace.

“Umm.” Was all he could manage, still reeling from their afternoon’s frivolities as he lay beneath the soft cotton sheets, his heart pounding deep within his chest.        

“Maybe we could stay here a little while longer…” She began, closing her eyes she soon drifted off to sleep.

 

In late afternoon light, once they had showered and dressed, they made their way out for a stroll through the town. Stopping off at the birthplace of Shakespeare, a breathtaking building located just a stone's throw away from the main town itself. The two of them reveled in the incredible history of the great man’s early years, encased within his childhood home.

Upon leaving the museum, Sophia buttoned up her coat, blocking out the icy wind that was now blowing. Glancing down at her dainty watch, she checked the time to ensure they didn’t miss their dinner reservation.

“Ready for something to eat?” Sophia asked, slipping her hand through the crook of Tom’s arm whilst his hands kept warm in the pockets of his jacket.  

“Absolutely, what do you have in mind?” He asked, looking along the high street in search of some inspiration of where they might like to dine.

“It’s all taken care of.” She said with a smile, leading him along a small cobbled side road which brought them out directly in front of the theatre.

Tom looked down at her quizzically as they entered the main reception to the theatre and made their way to the lift just ahead of them.

“Where are we going?” He asked, but to no reply. Sophia simply grinned to herself and selected the button for the third floor before stepping back to stand at his side. The lift began to make its way upwards.

All became clear to Tom as the lift came to a halt before presenting them with a spectacular modern styled restaurant which boasted incredible views of Stratford from all sides.  

“Good evening and welcome to the Rooftop Restaurant.” The young waiter greeted them.

“Hello, we have a reservation under Russell.” Sophia confirmed happily.

“That’s wonderful. If you’d like to follow me this way, we have a table reserved for you with a magnificent view overlooking both the historic town and the river.” The tall, lean young man led them through the minimalistic restaurant to their table, situated next to the full length windows which ran the length of the long open plan room.   

“My name is Ryan and I will be your server this evening. Can I show you the wine menu first of all?” He asked before handing them each a wine menu before stepping away and heading towards the bar. A few moments later he returned with a tray carrying an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne and two champagne flutes.

The young waiter placed the tray on the table and unraveling the foil from around the top of the bottle. Once he had removed the cork, he poured the champagne into each of the flutes and handed them to Tom and Sophia. Raising her glass, Sophia grinned and chimed happily,

“Happy birthday darling.”

“Thank you sweetheart.” He replied, taking her hand across the table and squeezing it tightly.

Ryan returned with the menus and handed Sophia an envelope before disappearing once again.

“What’s that?” Tom asked intrigued as he watched Sophia slip the envelope into her handbag below the table.  

“Something for later on.” She said in a cryptic tone, sitting back upright and picking up her menu.

“You’re so secretive!” He said in a mock sad tone but giving her a little smile to let her know he was only playing with her.

“Do you know what you’re going to eat?” She asked, deliberately changing the subject to take his mind away from what was to come later that evening.   

 

“That was an incredible meal, thank you darling.” Tom said aloud a couple of hours later as they stepped out into the theatre’s main reception which was now busy with groups of people making their way in from the cold.

“So, back to the hotel?” He asked, looking to Sophia who shook her head before taking his hand and guiding him further into the theatre. Just ahead of them stood two stewards in front of a set of doors who appeared to be checking tickets as the guests made their way inside. Slipping her hand into her handbag, Sophia produced the white envelope she had received earlier from the young waiter and handed the two tickets enclosed to the female steward who appeared to be in her early thirties. As she looked up from the tickets she looked at Sophia and then to Tom, recognising him instantly. Giving them both a warm smile, she offered to show them to their seats which they gratefully accepted.

“If you’d like to follow me this way.” She beckoned kindly, taking them inside the main auditorium towards the stalls. Locating their seats on the end of a row, a few back from the stage, would provide them with a perfect view of the whole performance.

The young lady wished them a pleasant evening and left through the door they had just entered and back to her position on the main doors.

“So are you going to tell me, what are we about to watch?!” Tom asked in anticipation.

“Love’s Labour’s Lost.” She beamed at him, knowing it was one of his favourite Shakespeare plays. The boyish grin that spread across his face was the best part of the whole day for Sophia, seeing how truly happy he was in that very moment.

“You are incredible! I love you so much.” He kissed her soft pink lips, which he could just taste the subtle hint of the strawberry daiquiris she had been enjoying in the bar following their incredible meal.

“I love you too.” She replied. Just as the house lights began to dim she couldn’t help but notice that every seat in the theatre appeared to be filled ready to watch this most enchanting comedy.

 

Making their way out into the frosty night air, their breaths instantly becoming little pockets of frozen clouds as they briskly made their way back to the hotel, arm in arm, through the dark.  Reaching the middle of the bridge, Tom came to an abrupt halt, taking Sophia by surprise as he pulled her into his embrace.   

“Thank you my darling, for the most wonderful birthday.” He softly brushed her cheek, his hands still warm from being tucked deep inside his jacket pockets. She leaned into his palm, grateful for his every touch.   

 “You’ve given me so much my love, it’s nice to be able to give you something in return.” She replied lovingly, looking up into his intoxicatingly handsome features, bathed in the moonlight before reaching up and kissing him with every ounce of her being.   

  

They woke late the next morning, having enjoyed a restful night’s sleep, something which had become a rarity since Louis had been born. Making the most of this serenity, they curled up into each other’s arms, intertwining their naked bodies. Sophia relaxed her head into Tom’s shoulder as he softly began to sing to her, crooning the words to a song she was unfamiliar with, but enjoyed hearing nonetheless.  

_“It's just another night_

_And I'm staring at the moon_

_I saw a shooting star_

_And thought of you_

_I sang a lullaby_

_By the waterside and knew_

_If you were here,_

_I'd sing to you_

_You're on the other side_

_As the skyline splits in two_

_I'm miles away from seeing you_

_But I can see the stars_

_From America_

_I wonder, do you see them, too?_

_So open your eyes and see_

_The way our horizons meet_

_And all of the lights will lead_

_Into the night with me_

_And I know these scars will bleed_

_But both of our hearts believe_

_All of these stars will guide us home_

_I can hear your heart_

_On the radio beat_

_They're playing 'Chasing Cars'_

_And I thought of us_

_Back to the time,_

_You were lying next to me_

_I looked across and fell in love_

_So I took your hand_

_Back through lamp-lit streets and knew_

_Everything led back to you_

_So can you see the stars?_

_Over Amsterdam_

_You're the song my heart is_

_Beating to_

_So open your eyes and see_

_The way our horizons meet_

_And all of the lights will lead_

_Into the night with me_

_And I know these scars will bleed_

_But both of our hearts believe_

_All of these stars will guide us home”_

 

“That was beautiful.” She whispered as she continued to lay with her eyes closed, listening to his every word.

“It’s one of Ed Sheeran’s. I have it on my playlist of songs I listen to when I’m away and missing home. I have a few special ones that remind me of us but I play this one the most, it just seems to help me feel close to you when we are so far apart.” He said quietly as he lay on his side, watching her lips curve into a sweet smile as he stroked her face gently

Opening her eyes, Sophia looked up at him, her heart feeling as though it was in her throat at the thought of him missing her whilst they were apart. She suddenly felt a single tear fall from the corner of her eye, gliding down her reddened cheek as she thought of just how lonely it must be for him being away so often from everyone he loved.  

She slowly turned her body towards him, raising herself up on to her elbow until her lips found his, embracing him in a tender and loving kiss in response to his heartbreaking words. The love between them felt stronger than ever as their kiss sparked a mutual longing for one another, with each kiss heightening their desire to be as intimate as their bodies would allow.  

Feeling Tom’s fingertips gently gliding over the curves of her waist and edging her body closer to him, she took the opportunity to slid herself on top, straddling him between her thighs.

Lifting his head off of the feather pillow, he began to kiss her supple neck, releasing deep, low moans of pleasure from Sophia as their love making continued as it had the night before.   

 

To be continued...


	31. Chapter 31

 

The weeks that followed were busy for the two of them as Tom was called back to filming. Thankfully, this time much closer to home, meaning he could be collected each morning from their front door and allowed him the much needed time that he craved with his son and soon to be wife.

Meanwhile, Sophia had been in contact with Jason Oakley, a well respected personal trainer who had been recommended to her by Benedict’s wife Sophie. She was determined to lose some of her baby weight in time for the wedding which was now just 3 and a half months away.

Having arranged for Louis to spend the morning with Diana during her first workout session, Sophia dressed in her ¾ length black leggings, a figure hugging bright pink vest top and a black zip up jacket along with her black Nike trainers ready for Jason’s arrival. Finally, she added a black peaked baseball cap to her look, conscious incase there were any photographers lurking around whilst they were out. Hearing the doorbell ring, Sophia made her way down the stairs and along the hallway. Opening the door, she was a little taken aback to find a young man, in his early thirties bent over, reaching his arms down towards the ground clearly warming up. Tilting his head, he stared up at Sophia for a moment, before straightening himself up and held out his hand.

“Hi, I’m Jason. It’s lovely to meet you.” Sophia was momentarily frozen as she stared up at this Adonis of a man standing in front of her, muscles rippling from every part of his body, whilst his flawless pearly white smile beamed at her. Pulling herself round quickly, she shook his hand and introduced herself.

“We’ll take it a little easy for your first session. I was thinking a light jog and some exercises so you can ease back in before we put together a full plan for you and so I can assess your fitness level.” He explained.

“Let me just grab my keys and phone and I’ll be right with you.” She said turning back into the hallway.

“There’s a local park I thought we’d use for our sessions, so we’ll head down there now if that’s ok with you.” He said as she rejoined him in the hallway, tucking the items into her jacket pockets and zipping them up securely while holding on to her water bottle.   

“That sounds great. I used to go running round there before I had the baby actually so that works for me.” She told him as they headed off down the street at a gentle jog.

 

“...If this is going easy on me I dread to see what else you have in store!” Sophia exclaimed out of breath as they finished their third lap of the park. Coming to a halt, she stood with her hands on her hips to help her concentrate on her breathing as she inhaled the cold wintery air into her lungs as she watched Jason head out across the grassed lawn.

“Time for some cardio circuits now you’ve warmed up.” He called out from where he was now standing several feet away, stopwatch in hand. Taking in another big deep breath, she made her way over to him, while taking a moment to check out his toned physique which was clearly visible though his navy blue tracksuit. Towering over Sophia, she guessed he must have been at least 6ft 2in as he appeared to be a similar height to her own gentle giant of a fiancé. She couldn’t help noticing his piercing blue eyes and gentle features whilst her eyes were also drawn to his blonde spiky hair. He appeared to have highlights at the tips, giving him a warm sunkissed look whilst stood in this chilly London park. Sliding off her jacket in an attempt to cool down she tied it around her waist.   

“So, we’ll start of with 15 lunges on each leg and then we’ll go into squats and then some hamstring curls.”

Setting her stance ready to begin, Jason shook his head,

“Your back leg needs to be further back…” He began, leaning down and placing one of his large hands brusquely on the back of her calf.

“...and your stance needs to be straighter.” Pulling himself up straight he then slid each of his hands on to her shoulders and gently twisted her upper body.

“Oh right...thanks.” Sophia replied, feeling his grip hold on her for just a few extra seconds then were necessary.

Concentrating on the job at hand, she began the first of the 15 lunges, feeling every muscle in her legs begging her to stop but she pushed on, determination driving her to complete what she’d set out to do.

 

An hour later and they were walking back towards the house, giving them time to get to know each other a little better.

“How long have you been a personal trainer?” Sophia asked timidly, taking a large sip of water in hope of quenching her thirst.

“For about five years. I originally studied physiotherapy at university which after I completed that I went to work for a small second division football club, built up my techniques and was then scouted by a Premier League club here in London which I do four days a week. The P.T work is a sideline I do for a few select clients.” He explained, running his hand through his perfect looking hair.

“Well thank you for taking me on, I can imagine you’re very busy.” She replied gratefully.

“You’re very welcome.” He replied. He brushed his knuckles over her deltoid muscle, “You may want to pop your jacket back on, wouldn’t do to have you cooling down too quickly and have you injure yourself after only our first session together.”

She felt her whole body shiver as she suddenly felt the icy wind blowing against her skin. She quickly untied her jacket from around her waist and quickly slid her arms into the sleeves. Zipping up the front, she pulled her arms around her middle in an attempt to keep out the chill.

“So, how often would you like a session with me?” Jason asked, pulling Sophia’s mind back to the moment.

“How about two or three a week if you have the time?” She replied.

“I’m sure we can fit those in for you.” He said gazing down at her.

“We can start of with two, one hour sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, then you can decide if you want to increase it up to three once you get into the swing of things?” He suggested.            

“That sounds great, same time as today? That will work out well for my child care too actually. Email me over your business account details and I’ll wire a bank transfer over to you for the next few sessions.” Sophia replied as they came to a stop outside of her home.

“That’s great, I’ll send those over for you after I get back from the football club tonight. See you on Thursday at 10:00am.” Jason said happily, before he set off down the street.  

Letting herself into the house, she made her way straight upstairs for a well needed soak in the bath before her bouncing bundle of joy would be returning home with his Nanny.

 

Feeling more herself again after that morning’s gruelling workout, Sophia blow dried her hair, adding a light coverage of makeup before dressing in a pair of skinny dark blue jeans and a cream jumper. Now in need of a refreshing cup of tea, she made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. As she waited for Louis to return home she busied herself by preparing some lunch for herself, preparing a healthy bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup which she enjoyed whilst catching up on the day’s news on her laptop.   

It wasn’t long before Sophia heard the distinctive sound of the doorbell, beaming with joy at the thought of seeing her precious baby boy. Making her way to the door, she was delighted to see Diana standing on the doorstep with Louis in his baby carrier. Stepping inside the hallway, Diana made her way through to the lounge, setting the travel seat down next to the sofa.

“How’s my beautiful boy been this morning?” Sophia asked, bending down to unclip his straps. She couldn’t help but laugh as Louis was cooing away happily to himself, looking so contented to be back in her arms.  

“He’s been as good as gold, although he did have a little grumble earlier but he soon settled down again when he had a bottle. I think he might be in the early days of teething.” Diana explained, in an attempt to give some motherly advice without being too heavy handed.  

“I had noticed that he had been a bit grumbly the last couple of days so that would make sense.” Sophia replied kissing Louis on the forehead. Gently placing her little finger just inside Louis’s bottom lip, she could just feel the tiniest sharp edge along the bottom of his mouth.

“Somebody’s got his first tooth coming through!” She said excitedly, kissing him once again.

“Just in time for the Christening on Sunday too. He won’t like that.” Diana said concerned.

“It was going to happen sooner or later, but it’s a good job we already have teething gel to help take some of the pain away for him.” Sophia replied.

“Would you like to stay for a cup of tea?” She added, hoping to build further bridges with her soon to be mother in law.

“That would be lovely Sophia, thank you. How are the arrangements coming together for Sunday?” Diana watched Sophia settle Louis into his moses basket before they made their way through into the kitchen.

“We’re all sorted with the catering, the decorations and a cake. I just need to decide what Louis is going to wear. I’d been looking at outfits for him but hadn’t found the right one as of yet so I planned on going into the city later on to have another look.” She said, handing Diana a mug of milky tea. Not wanting to leave the baby alone for too long, they made their way back into the lounge.

“What about if he wore his father’s christening gown?” Diana suggested, giving Sophia a warm smile as they sat down on the couch.  

“Oh really? That would be wonderful! Thank you so much!” Sophia was delighted at the thought and knew how happy it would also make Tom.

“I’ll find it out for you when I get home later on.” Diana said happily.

They continued to sit and chat, with Diana telling stories of Tom as a young boy. Sophia was fascinated to hear about her loving man. She laughed lightly as Diana told her how he’d refuse to go anywhere without his favourite toy car until he was six, how he had cried on his first day of school and about how he had been a late bloomer with the ladies, not having his first girlfriend until he was seventeen. Sophia was enjoying immensely hearing all the wonderful stories, imagining the adult she knew and loved as a child. She began to think about some of the exciting times her darling Louis’s life would have in store for him also.

“Next time you’re over at the house, remind me to show you the baby photos.” Diana added with a small laugh.

“Are you okie to have Louis again on Thursday morning for an hour? I’m hoping to have another session with the personal trainer. The sooner I lose this weight the happier I will feel.” Sophia asked hopefully.

“Of course I will, I’m not working this week and spending more time with my grandson is more than fine by me.” Diana gave her a warm reassuring smile, feeling as though her initial thoughts of this young lady had been a little prejudgemental.

 

 

The morning of the Christening came round a little too quickly for Sophia, who had barely had time to think of what she was going to wear for the special occasion. While Tom prepared Louis’s morning bottle, Sophia took the time to set out a navy blue suit with a matching waistcoat, a crisp white shirt and a dark red tie for him before she went in search of inspiration for herself. Picking out a pair of vintage high waisted black trousers which would sit just below the bust to give her an unmistakable silhouette and the illusion of additional height with its wide bottomed legs. She teamed them up with a sophisticated red and white micro polka dot cropped top, with a stunning scalloped detail around the bust which she planned to tuck into the trousers.

Sophia hung up her chosen outfit before making her way into the en-suite bathroom to ready herself for the day ahead.

Having wrapped herself up in her towelled dressing gown after her relaxing shower, Sophia blow dried her shoulder length blonde hair which she swept back from her face, tucking the ends up and under to give the impression of a much shorter hair cut for a true 1950’s style. Finally adding a touch of foundation to her flawless complexion, smoky eye makeup and prominent red lipstick to complete her sophisticated look. She slipped into her chosen outfit just as Tom entered the bedroom still wearing his grey t-shirt and pajama bottoms. His eyes scanned over her silhouette as his eyebrows raised in adoration, seeing her standing there so perfectly, he couldn’t resist taking her into his arms and kissing her.  

“Hello!” She giggled, feeling a slight tickle from his days growth of stubble against her skin.  

“Hello beautiful. You look amazing!” He replied lovingly as his eyes once again scanned down her body from head to toe. As his hands began to lightly trace over her body, finding their way to her toned behind, his tongue brushed along her lower lip, sending a spark of exhilaration though her body. Her hands slid beneath his t-shirt, feeling every rippled muscle before her fingertips glided around to his toned back, their lips locked in a passionate embrace.   

“Tom,” She began breathlessly, his hands moving up to her defined chest, his digits resting over the edge of the scooped neckline of her fitted top in anticipation    

“We need...to be getting ready…” She panted between kisses, whilst her inner goddess wanted nothing more than to let him alleviate her of her clothes whilst straddling her across the bed.  

“Ummm... I know you’re right,” He groaned disappointedly, removing his fingertips from the bare skin below her collarbone and sliding them down to her waist.

“I just can’t get enough of you.” He murmured, kissing her lips once again as he pushed his hardened cock against her thigh to announce his arousal.    

“It’s not that I don’t want to, believe me.” She said longingly, sweeping her soft hand along his stubbled cheek.

“I know baby.” He placed the softest of kisses on the tip of her nose before heading towards the shower, slipping off his t-shirt in one swift movement.  

“Is Louis in the nursery?” She asked, regaining a hold of her senses and suddenly realising he hadn’t been with Tom when he entered the room.

“He’s in the moses basket having a little nap. He’s been fed and changed so whenever he wakes we can dress him in his outfit...where is it by the way? You’ve not shown me what he’s wearing” He said, realising that he had no clue what his son would be wearing for his Christening.

“It’s a surprise, but you’ll see soon enough.” She couldn’t hold back a grin as she thought of Tom’s face when he realises Louis will be wearing his own christening gown.

“I’ve put a suit, shirt and tie out ready for you.” Sophia explained as she headed back to the dresser where she reapplied her vibrant lipstick before adding her swarovski earrings and matching necklace to her outfit.

“What would I do without you?” He asked rhetorically from the doorway of the bathroom. Giving him a smile and a wink she left the room, making her way into the nursery.

  


“Sophia, Clark’s here with the car sweetheart.” Tom called up the stairs from the hallway an hour later.

“We’ll be there in a second.” She replied from the open doorway of the nursery.

Turning to look at Louis in his beautiful cream Christening gown, she wiped a tear from her eye and beamed at her precious son, who she loved more than all the world.

“Let’s go and show your outfit off to your daddy shall we?” She said warmly, taking Louis who was giggling away into her arms. She bent down and picked up her black shoulder bag and heels which she’d set aside on the floor at her feet before making her way downstairs to join Tom.

      She found him busying himself in the lounge making sure everything was ready for the gathering of their friends and family which would follow the service at the church.

“Everything is all in hand Tom, the caterers will be arriving shortly to start setting out the food ready for when we come back. Mrs Johnson next door said she’d be happy to let them in for us while we’re at the church.” Sophia reassured him as she walked to his side.

“Yeah I know, I just want everything to be perfect for him...” He began. Turning his head as he spoke, his attention was instantly caught by Louis who was cradled in her arms and to what he was wearing. His mouth dropped open in surprise as he recognised his young son’s outfit.

“...Is that…my Christening gown?” He asked bewildered

“Your mum suggested it, she thought it would be appropriate for the first of the next generation of the family to wear it.” She beamed, holding out her son to his father who looked as though he was close to tears.

“It’s perfect, as are you, my love.” He kissed her soft lips being careful not to smudge her lipstick as he had earlier that morning during their altercation in the bedroom.

“Right, let’s get going or we are going to be late.” She smiled happily. Picking up the travel seat, Tom sat Louis inside and clipped the harness into place before taking hold of the handle. He nodded to Sophia to confirm he was ready and they made their way out to the car.       

 

The church was already busy with so many of their friends and family dressed in their finery when Tom and Sophia made their way inside. Sat close to the front they could see both of Tom’s parents sat alongside his sisters as well as Sophia’s mum and Steve, and to her surprise her dad also. Turning to see his beautiful grown up daughter holding his grandson in her arms, Paul stood up and made his way over to her and Tom.

“Hi dad,” Sophia beamed, happiness radiating from her upon seeing her father who hugged her gently.

“I’m so thrilled you were able to make it, but you should have told me you were coming!”

“I wanted it to be a surprise, so your mum helped me arrange it.” He saw the surprise draw across Sophia’s face as she heard this revelation.

“I know!” He replied, raising his eyebrows as his face took on a pretend shocked face.   

“Dad, I’d like you to meet Tom,” She gestured to the handsome man at her side, who was already holding out his hand to greet Paul.

“It’s great to finally meet you at last, Mr Russell.” Tom said politely as they firmly shook hands.    

“I’ve heard so much about you from Sophia so I’m pleased to meet you in person Tom, and please, call me Paul,” He announced warmly.

“...and this must be my grandson.” He said gesturing down to the baby in his daughter’s arms.

“Yes! This is Louis.” Feeling so proud as she looked down at her beautiful boy.

“Would you like a quick cuddle grandad while we go and speak to the Dean?” She offered, looking up at her dad affectionately, still surprised he had come all this way.

“Of course.” He replied eagerly, holding his arms out to take hold of Louis.    

Tom and Sophia made their way to the front of the altar to speak to the Dean who was stood speaking to Diana.

“Good morning Thomas and Sophia, very nice to see you both again.” The Dean said warmly as they approached.   

“Good morning.” They said in unison, instantly making them smile sweetly at each other.

“If everyone is here we’ll get started. Can we have the Godparents close to the front please.”

Looking back across the pews, Sophia soon spotted Charlotte and Luke and beckoned them both forwards to join her whilst Tom made his way down the aisle to the back of the church where Benedict and Sophie were stood talking to Martin and Amanda who had also been invited.

“Hi all, how are you? It’s good to see you, thanks for coming. Ben, the Dean is ready to get started and would like the Godparents seated at the front with us.” Tom explained.

Ben and Sophie followed Tom back to the front of the church and introduced the Dean to each of the three godparents. Everyone took their seats and the service began.

 

“Please make your way back to our house where we have plenty of food and drinks for all.” Tom announced to their guests as everyone began to make their way out of the church.

“CHRIS!” Tom cried out, seeing his dear friend towering above the rest of the guests, his long blonde hair tied back and wearing a formal charcoal waistcoat and trousers and a white shirt which barely restrained his incredible biceps.

“I had no idea you were coming my friend! When did you arrive?” Tom asked excitedly as Chris and his wife Elsa and their three children finally managed to make their way through the crowd of guests waiting to see the baby and his parents.

“It’s wonderful to see you!” Chris beamed as he and Tom briskly hugged before stepping back to allow Elsa the chance to also say hello. Bending right down, Tom gave India-Rose a big smile as she held out her arms to him to pick her up.

“Love you Uncle TomTom.” She said throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

“I love you too princess.” He grinned down at his beloved goddaughter. Sophia watched from close by as his smile radiated across his handsome features holding the little girl tightly to his chest before resting her on his hip.

“And how are the boys?” He asked, looking down at the twins who were fast asleep in the double buggy.

“I think the jet lag has caught up with them since we arrived yesterday.” Elsa explained.   

“And how long are you over here for?” Tom asked, his joy at seeing them evident in his every word.

“Two weeks. We wanted to be here for you and to finally meet the lovely Sophia, plus I have a read through for a potential role next week while we’re here.” Chris confirmed happily, restraining his laughter as India began trying to re-curl Tom’s hair which he’d clearly spent a long time that morning trying to make as straight as possible. India giggled as she saw her dad watching her whilst she twisted Tom’s hair around her little fingers.

“What are you doing to my hair, little miss?” Tom asked laughing as he tried to look up to see what had caught Chris’s attention. In an attempt to distract India from messing up his hair too much he began to tickle her gently which made her cry out, giggling uncontrollably.  

“Uncle TomTom!!” She squeaked excitedly.      

“Would you like to come and meet baby Louis?” He asked her, beaming at how much she had grown since the last time he had seen her. She nodded her blonde head back and forth excitedly, throwing her arms up in the air and giggled once more. Laughing at her excitement, Tom walked towards Sophia who had just been handed Louis back from his sister Sarah.

Having heard the giggling making its way closer to her, Sophia finished her conversation with Sarah and turned to see Tom was now stood at her side.

“Sweetheart, I’d like you meet Chris and Elsa and their three children. This trouble maker is India-Rose and the sleeping angels are Sasha and Tristan. Chris, Elsa this is Sophia, my soon to be wife and our beautiful little boy Louis.” Elsa stepped forwards and hugged Sophia, kissing her on the cheek,

“It’s so wonderful to finally meet you. We’ve heard so much about you.” Elsa said happily in her very unusual Spanish/Australian twang. Stepping back to allow Chris to hug Sophia, having to bend down a little to not overwhelm her with his body size.   

“It’s great to meet you all too, Tom talks about you all so fondly. Let’s head back to the house and we can chat more there.” Sophia suggested, receiving positive nods all round.

“I gave my mum the house key so she could go on ahead with Steve to let everyone in, so we didn’t have to rush from here.” She advised Tom as they made their way out of the church and along the icy pathway to the road where a few guests had flagged down taxi’s. Making sure the Hemsworth’s were safely in a taxi and giving the driver the address to take them to, Tom and Sophia headed to their car.

Clark stood waiting to greet them just around the corner from the church ready to drive them home.

“Well, that all seemed to go well.” Tom said happily, sliding his hand on top of Sophia’s which rested on top of the baby seat sitting between them.

“I think our little man will be ready for a feed, change and nap when we get back as he’s already starting to get sleepy.” Sophia pointed out, tilting her head to catch a glimpse of Louis, who was beginning to drop off whilst sucking away on his fist.

“There will be an abundance of people eagerly awaiting an opportunity for cuddles with him the moment we step through the door so I think giving him a bottle rather than you feeding will keep everyone happy.” Tom suggested.

“Yes I know what you mean. I can feel them getting heavy so I’ll still need to pump but I can hold off a little while longer.” She explained, feeling the weight of her milk filled breasts weighing heavily as it got closer to Louis’s next feed.

 

Most of the guests had arrived at the house ahead of them as expected and the catering team were uncovering the buffet and serving refreshments, leaving the two of them to socialise with their guests. As Tom had rightfully predicted, Louis was swiped away from his mother’s arms within minutes of stepping across the threshold by Charlotte, who as Louis’s godmother claimed the first cuddles.

“He’s due a feed actually, so I’ll go and warm his bottle up for you if you’d like?” Sophia asked. Charlotte was more than happy to have a contented Louis in her arms after he’d had a little outburst of tears during the Christening no thanks to his cutting tooth.

Sophia headed off into the kitchen and warmed up Louis’s bottle before taking it through and handed it to Charlotte. Being more than use to Louis’s usual feeding habits now, Sophia also provided her a piece of muslin to protect her expensive looking suit, in case he greedily sucked out too much milk from his bottle which was likely to overflow down his little chin as it so often did.

The afternoon was a relaxed affair for everyone, giving them the opportunity to spend time with the latest arrival as well as his picture perfect parents.

“You two look so good together. I can tell how happy she makes you.” Chris told Tom as the two of them sat talking at the far end of the lounge, looking out over the frosty garden.  

“Thank you, that means a lot. We have had a few rocky moments but that’s to be expected I guess. With how often I’m away and the press writing false accusations really didn’t help at the end of last year but we’re back on track now.” Tom looked to Chris, who knew all too well the power of the media and the devastating effect can have on a relationship.

“Well I can tell she’s a keeper so look after her.” Chris replied, giving him a reassuring smile. Tom took a large mouthful of the whiskey he’d been handed as he’d arrived inside the house by his soon to be father in law as an olive branch to cement their family connection. Looking up from the ornate glass he’d been rolling around in his hand, he decided that now seemed like the right time to ask the important question he’d been holding off asking by phone during their recent conversations.  

“I’m glad you think that, because there’s something I wanted to ask you. Sophia and I have finally set a date for the wedding and I would love for you to be my best man?”  

“Mate, I’d be delighted!” Chris chuckled loudly as he threw his arms around Tom for a manly hug of appreciation.

“That’s great news, thank you!” Tom’s smile of jubilation told Sophia from the other side of the room that Chris had agreed, which she knew just how much that meant to Tom.   

Tom began to tell Chris of all the plans he and Sophia had made so far. When and where the wedding would be taking place, ideas he’d had about them writing their own vows and sketches of the wedding rings he’d been working on as a surprise for her. Chris listened enthusiastically about all of the plans, keen to help in any way he could.  

 

   

Having seen the last of the guests to the front door, Tom ran his fingers through his hair in the hope of somehow clearing the tiredness from his mind as he turned from the closed door to the sound of Louis’s heartbreaking cries.  

After the excitement of the day’s events, Sophia could see Louis was more than ready for his evening nap. The heartbreaking tears of his wailing now streamed down his little reddened cheeks as he struggled from the pain of his cutting tooth whilst fighting against his tiredness. Sophia gently rocked him in her arms as she paced slowly backwards and forwards through the lounge in an attempt to try and settle him as his upset continued.

“Oh my sweet tired little boy, mummy knows your tooth is hurting my angel but it will be over soon.” She swept her fingers along the thin strands of his blonde hair, brushing it softly towards his forehead in a soothing motion. Tom entered the softly dimmed lit room, holding the teething gel he’d been to collect from the nursery and made his way over to Sophia. Squeezing a small amount of the gel onto his little finger, he eased it gently into Louis’s mouth in an attempt to ease his son’s pain.    

Giving him a grateful smile, Sophia continued to cradle the baby close to her body as his continuous cries echoed around the room. It was more than fifteen minutes later before the teething gel had begun to ease some of Louis pain. Seeing the tiredness beginning to take hold, Sophia softly sang him a lullaby to calm her sleepy prince off into the land of dreams.  

 

Gently laying him down in the moses basket and placing a blanket over his little body, Sophia slumped down into the seat next to Tom on the sofa, all of her energy consumed from her body.

“How about we curl up and watch a movie?” Tom suggested, seeing her worn out expression as she molded her body into his embrace, resting her head into his chest.

“That sounds perfect.” She replied, giving him a warm smile in response. Kissing the top of her head, he stood up and made his way into the kitchen. Sophia forced herself off the sofa and over to the shelves to the right of the chimney breast which housed hundreds of DVDs and Blu-rays just waiting to be watched. Selecting one of her favourite movies, ‘Moulin Rouge’, she slid the disk into the player and pressed play just as Tom returned with two mugs of hot chocolate topped with cream and chocolate sprinkles.

Placing the mugs down on the table in front of him, he glanced up at the screen and rolled his eyes. Giving her a knowing look as he was unable to keep the amused grin from his face, instantly recognising the opening credits to the movie which she’d made them sit through countless times.

“So, I’m guessing you couldn’t find anything else to watch?” He asked with a comic undertone to his voice, settling back into his seat. He gestured for Sophia to crawl up into his lap, which she did so, curling up into him.  

“There were a few choices but somehow this one won.” She grinned as she looked up into his tired eyes.   

“There’s a surprise!” He laughed and squeezed tightly, pulling her closer into him and placing a single kiss on her forehead.   

  
To be continued...


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter in the series... I hope you all like it (don't forget, please leave your feedback!)

The wedding preparations were in full swing as the date came ever closer. Whilst Chris had been in London, he and Tom decided to make the most of their time together by going out suit shopping for the big day. They had returned very pleased with themselves, but refusing to divulge their choice of colour and style to Sophia until the big day, despite her protests.

Tom had enjoyed taking advantage of having his best friend in town and so on one particular evening, they had decided to have a boys only night, having a few quiet beers together. This soon turned into a very messy late night/early morning after they found their way to a club, where they proceeded to sample as much of the bars contents as they could before one of them fell over. With the substantial difference in their physiques, Chris was naturally holding his own after the many rounds of shots that had been consumed with Tom looking a little worse for wear. They made their way onto the dancefloor and soon found themselves with a flock of eager female admirers around them, as the two friends let their hair down whilst dancing the night away.

 

Siding his key into the lock of the front door, Tom attempted to quietly let himself into the house without waking Sophia or the baby as he arrived home. He made his way along the dark hallway towards the kitchen, suddenly in need of a glass of water but consciously making the decision not to turn on any lights, although why, he wasn’t sure. The house was eerily silent as he made his way across the laminate over to one of the cupboards, taking out a tall, slim glass before heading to the fridge where he was more than grateful to find a bottle of mineral water. Tom headed into the lounge, surprised to see the clock on the wall which read 4:30am, or so he thought, not entirely able to focus on anything for too long.

Not wanting to climb into bed too drunk beside his sleeping fiancée, Tom sat himself down on the soft, comfortable couch where he proceeded to pour himself a drink before downing a full glass in one fell swoop. His head was spinning and his eyelids felt heavy as he relaxed, hoping that the water would soon have its desired effects to somehow assist him to sober up enough to climb his way up the stairs and sleep off the excessive alcohol he had consumed, no thanks to Chris.   

  He wasn’t sure how long he’d been there when he felt the warm glow of something soft on his skin as he groggily opened his eyes enough to see Sophia stood over him stroking her gentle fingers over his cheek in an attempt to bring him round. He smiled up at her though he couldn’t tell if she looked angry or not through the darkness.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you come to bed?” She said soothingly. Opening his eyes wider, he suddenly felt his throat felt like sandpaper. He poured himself another glass of water, which he quickly drank, hoping to avoid dehydration and a pounding headache in the morning. Taking his hand and gently ushering him up off of the sofa, she led him slowly towards the hallway. He felt steady now on his feet as he followed her, yet still managed to sway lightly into the door frame, letting out a low curse.

“Shh! Darling you’ll wake the baby. We have to be very quiet as I’ve only just settled him back down after his feed.” Sophia whispered to Tom as she slid her arm around his waist and her body to his side to guide him up the stairs. His hands skimmed over her waist, feeling the gentle fabric of her satin camisole and shorts against his fingertips. He felt a wanton spark ignite within his groin at the thought of how incredible she felt. His hand leisurely grazed up to her breast for just a moment, surprised at how hard her nipple felt at his touch.

“Tom!” Sophia shrieked in a whisper, having been taken by surprise by his unexpected touch. She gently guided his hand back on her waist in an attempt to keep his wandering digits at bay.  

 

Once they’d made it in the bedroom, she sat him down on the edge of the bed where he appeared to be slowly sobering up. Knowing he was likely to be feeling worse for wear in the morning and not wanting him to disturb Louis, she moved herself around the bed to where her sleeping little prince lay in his cot next to where she slept. Carefully scooping him up in her arms, Sophia carried him through to the nursery where she settled him down into the beautiful wooden cot they had had since before he was born. Now that he was old enough to be left alone at night and had began to sleep through she felt happier for him to no longer sleep by her side. Switching on the baby monitor, she took the handsfree part of the listening device with her back into the bedroom.

Setting down the monitor on the bedside table, she turned her attentions back to Tom who had remained sitting on the edge of the bed just as she had left him. Taking off his shoes and socks which she placed at the side of the bed, he sat watching her through half closed eyes as she eased herself up into a standing position between his thighs and began unbuttoning his shirt. She tried desperately to remained focus as she felt his hands reach out to grasp at her thighs, the warmth of his soft skin against her own surged an involuntary tingle deep down within her.

Shaking off this startling reaction to his touch, she soon felt him hastily making his way to her waist as she freed the last of the buttons, removing the shirt from his defined torso and down over his arms. As soon as his hands were free from the shackles of his shirt he instantly glided his hands under her camisole and up to her supple breasts, eagerly cupping them within his hands as he revelled in the feel of her nipples becoming hard at his touch.

“Tom!” She exclaimed urgently in a whispered voice. Firmly gripping her hands on his upper arms in an attempt to push him away and to free herself from his reach knowing he wasn’t himself in this intoxicated state. Tom let himself fall backwards onto the mattress with a soft thud, where he remained still whilst she unbuckled his belt. Releasing the button on his jeans, she then slid the zipper down, trying her best to ignore the raging erection he  had previously encased in his trousers but was now so prominently displayed before attempting to guide the soft denim over his toned cheeks and down his legs, neatly discarding them with his shirt and shoes next to the bed.

Turning back to look at him, Sophia realised she was now going to have to attempt to move him from his current horizontal position across the middle of the bed if she intended to get back into bed for a few more hours of well needed sleep. With a small sigh, she took hold of his legs, maneuvering him so that the lower part of his body was now lying on his side of the bed. Kneeling over on to the bed, she leaned over him and guided her hands under his shoulders in an attempt to move his upper body.

What she hadn’t anticipated was that he had been waiting for just the right opportunity to gently grab her by the waist and settle her on top of him, nudging his erection which was still encased within his tightly fitted boxers, briskly up between her legs as she straddled him. She couldn’t help but notice the devious grin which had now spread across his devilishly handsome features before he pulled himself up and kissed her hard on the lips. The kiss was a little rougher than he had intended and flavoured with the last glass of scotch, but the urgency he now had to be sliding himself inside of her was all he could think about as he coaxed his tongue into her mouth. He quickly moved his hands to cup her face in an attempt to stop her from pulling away but his reactions appeared to be somewhat slower than normal.

“Tom!” Sophia exclaimed, attempting to remove herself from his waist as he once again thrust his hardness up into the soft material of her loose fitting satin shorts.

Sophia felt a sudden dampness between her legs, her body instantly reacting to her man’s advances despite her brain thinking better of it. She sighed in exasperation at her own reaction, trying to ignore the physical need that was clearly escalating inside her.

 

Tom slid one of his hands around her waist, pulling their flushed bodies together, all the while their eyes transfixed only on each other. His other hand was now easing her legs around each side of his waist for her to sit more firmly into his lap before he tenderly stoked her cheek, leaning in to kiss her once again.

“Tom please! You’re drunk sweetheart…” She tried to reason with him but he smothered her lips with his own, her resolve wavering

“I’m not too drunk to know that I want you baby.” He replied in a deep low voice before sliding his tongue into her mouth, leaving her unable to resist the desire to respond to his wanton advances. She felt herself melting at his touch, no longer able to deny that she wanted to be intimate with her man, knowing he would be leaving the following day for yet more filming but this time further away from them in Devon.

Tom’s hand descended from her reddened cheek and down past her collarbone to her breast, which was only loosely covered by the thin satin cami. Bringing her hands up to his broad shoulders and around to the nape of his neck, her fingertips slinked up into his hair to pull him deeper into their kiss. He continued his advances as his hand moved smoothly over her stomach to the delicate material covering her modesty. His fingers made light work of finding their way to the edge of her shorts and slid a single finger into her soft folds. He was surprised to find her already slick as he slowly circled around her clit, which instantly drove her to nip at his lower lip in pleasure, feeling him building the intensity inside her.

“Oh..my..god..I..want..you.” She growled into his ear as he teased her until he could feel she was ready for him.

Edging himself to the side of the bed, he eased himself up just enough to allow her hands to slide down his back and remove his shorts from around his behind, then turning her attention to releasing his now incredible manhood, which was writhing to be set loose.

“I’d been dying to get back here all night, so that I could slip beneath these sheets and pleasure you, taking you to heaven as you slept.” He hungrily moaned into her ear as he pulled her cami up over her head in one swift movement, releasing her supple breasts which he eagerly buried his head into, kissing and lightly biting at her exposed flesh. She placed her hand around his engorged length, tightening her grip around him as she felt his whole body stiffen and with the slightest of movements of her hand, he let out a deep primal moan.

His desire for her was taking over his very being as he delved once again into her folds before slipping his fingers deep inside of her. She cried out as he circled his fingers within her, arching her back and pushing her body down in a desperate attempt to escalate the orgasam she could feel was already building. Suddenly, she felt his penetrating fingers release themselves from her slick folds, despite her wanton protests. Easing her off of his lap and onto her feet, he could just see the pout that now graced her beautiful face, aching to be pleasured once again. He made light work in removing her silk shorts before gliding her once again into his lap, this time allowing her knees to tuck in on either side of his thighs as she slowly guided herself down onto his long shaft, holding her gaze as she did so.       

Through the darkness, their lips found one another in a desperate attempt to satisfy their need as they both cried into this most intense of kisses. As the insatiable pleasure scorched through their intertwined bodies, Tom eased his way deeper inside of her. Sophia could feel her tight walls stretching around his swollen length as he tilted his hips upwards making her scream out, filling her with all of himself. She gripped on to his back tightly, digging her nails into his soft warm skin as she slowly raised herself up and down on to him. They began to increase their rhythm as the desire for one another escalated at a rate that neither of them could contain.

Tom gently maneuvered the palm of his hands underneath Sophia’s perfectly round behind to scoop her up, turning his body just enough to lay her down on her back as he slid himself back between her legs to push himself inside of her once again. With the heat between them almost primal, Tom increased his thrusts as he groaned, lowering his head into her chest.

Taking one of her hardened peaks into his mouth, he began to massage his tongue around its edge, flicking the very tip in a quickened motion which sparked Sophia to take a shallow gasp. Hearing her groans at the mind blowing pleasure and pain this was creating brought his stimulation to a heightened level, wanting desperately to bring her to climax around him, shuddering with the effort of holding his own release back.

Tom grasped down to her dainty ankles, sliding her long legs up onto his shoulders as she felt him now push deeper inside her. Hearing her saying his name over and over between her gasps and moans brought him so much pleasure, knowing he was truly giving this incredible woman everything she desired.

He felt her body tighten around him within moments of being in this new position, urging her on as he whispered words of encouragement into her ear to finally help her over the edge, finally allowing himself to join her in a swirling, mind blowing explosion of ecstasy as his seed penetrated her. He felt his body convulsing as his orgasm spasmed through him, grinding his hips into her thrice more before slowly lowering himself down over her.  

He panted into her shoulder as he rested his head on the bed, the intoxicating revelry coursing through him. He felt unusually out of control as the adrenaline and alcohol combined in his body, spiking a sense of overwhelming emotions and feelings he couldn’t either control nor explain. They lay there in the dark for a few moments, basking in their desperate and primal lovemaking, neither one wanting to break their intimacy. Sophia continued to lay with her hands pressed hard against his back holding him close to her whilst she maneuvered her legs around his waist to keep him inside of her for as long as possible. She’d known from the moment she had begun to relieve him of his clothes that she’d wanted this, for him to take her in the way only he knew how. That intimate and self assuring feeling that she was all this man desired above all else. With his breathing slowly regaining its regular pace, Tom began to place soft delicate kisses along her neck in a sweet, reassuring manner until she turned her head and gently placed a single kiss on his cheek lovingly as they smiled at one another                   

It wasn’t long before the two of them had drifted off to sleep, Tom possessively wrapping his arm around her perfect frame as the early morning light began to seep through the bedroom curtains.

 

                   

Sophia and Charlotte had been on several expeditions over the last few days in search of both bridal and bridesmaid dresses, but as yet they had been unsuccessful.

Arriving outside yet another bridal showroom, this time in one of London’s most lavish and well to do districts for both shopping and real estate. With its stylish and exclusive designer stores, Knightsbridge was also home to the world famous Harrods store which took centre stage in this upper class haven.   

The two young women stepped out of the car and made their way inside for their appointment, having called ahead earlier that morning.

Upon entering the high end boutique, they distinctly felt the two shop assistants looking down their noses at them, naturally assuming that their exclusive gowns would be far too expensive for these two young women who were dressed elegantly but quite clearly not head to toe in the cities most sort after designers. Instantly irritating Sophia with their ungrounded presumptions, she chose to play them at their own game, as of course they would have no idea of the sums of money she had available to her should she find that perfect dress.

“Hello, my name is Sophia Russell and I have an appointment to view your wedding gowns.” She spoke in an soft elegant tone, taking Charlotte a little by surprise until she realised Sophia had intended to teach the shop assistants a lesson in jumping to conclusions. The older of the two assistants, who was a slim, well dressed, brunette, appeared to be in her late thirties, stared down her long thin nose at them standing before her.  

“Good morning, if you would like to follow me this way I have a selection of dresses for you to browse.” Sophia and Charlotte looked at each other a little confused as the shop assistant had no idea as to what type of dress Sophia was looking for. It was apparent as they were shown to the far side of the showroom that these dresses were at the lower end of their price range. Feeling a little insulted but not letting her annoyance get the better of her, Sophia gave each gown her full attention as it was far more important to find the right dress than the amount shown on the price tag. After a short while she did find a dress that had caught her attention but the style wasn’t at all what Sophia was looking for.  Seeing her friend looking a little downhearted, Charlotte decided to step over to another rail of much more sophisticated and expensive looking dresses.          

“Sophia, What do you think of this one?” Charlotte asked, holding up a beautiful champagne coloured dress with embellished beaded lace across the bodice. Sophia’s eyes lit up with excitement at the exquisite detail on the gown and had to admit, it would have been perfect for her, had they have been hosting the wedding in the UK. Before she had an opportunity to give her opinion however, the shop assistant quickly made her way over to where Charlotte was now standing and placed herself in front of the dresses, almost to hide them from view.

“I don’t think these will be of the style you are looking for Miss Russell, they are from our most exclusive designer range. Could I arrange for you to try on one of the bridal gowns from these ones over here?” She appeared to be quite insistent without saying the words that Sophia would not be able to afford any of the dresses from the higher end collection. Charlotte did not take kindly to this and so decided to use some name dropping to help her friend.

“Sophia darling, Have you received the confirmation paperwork from the editor at ‘Hello! Magazine’ for the wedding yet? Have they requested for the guests to hand in their phones and cameras to ensure full exclusivity?” She asked, looking over to her best friend and giving her a subtle smile to follow her lead.

“Oh yes, Tom has received the documents through from his agent a few days ago. I believe they are quite keen to have plenty of photos of the wedding, what with Britain's most eligible bachelor finally tying the knot. Not to mention his best man being Chris Hemsworth.” Sophia said so matter of factly that the sales assistant couldn’t quite believe her ears at the mention of the glossy Celebrity magazine.

“Don’t forget the guest list sweetheart, what with Benedict Cumberbatch and his wife being there as well, seeing how they are your son’s godparents afterall, the entire magazine will be dedicated to your wedding for sure!” Charlotte added, trying her best to keep a straight face knowing that neither Tom nor Sophia would ever allow their wedding to be splashed across one of those coffee table magazines.  

The reaction of the shop assistant was priceless upon hearing all these celebrity names being dropped into the conversation between the two young women. She quickly made her excuses whilst she had a brief conversation with the much younger sales assistant whilst looking at something on their computer, no doubt looking up details of this celebrity wedding to confirm it was in fact the bride to be in their boutique.

The second, slightly younger sales assistant, who Sophia guessed was no older than twenty two, seemed to have now departed from behind her counter, reappearing a few moments later carrying a tray with two champagne flutes sat on it and making her way over to the young ladies.

“Oh not for me, thank you.” Sophia declined, not wanting to interrupt her breastfeeding pattern nor her new fitness regime.  

“Can I offer you a glass of orange juice madam?” The young assistant asked kindly. Sophia declined once again before the woman walked over to Charlotte to also offer her a glass of the champagne.

 

Having continued to browse through the remaining rails of designer gowns, which she had previously been steered away from, Sophia was inthralled by the variety in style, colour and design yet she was still to unable find something that really caught her eye.  

“Oh that is just enchanting.” She held the dress up to herself in front of the full length mirror, taking in all of its beauty. With its vintage beaded lace detail and which flowed down along its mermaid styled train it was just what she’d pictured her wedding dress would be like. She was about to request to try the dress on when she thought about how heavy the dress was and how impractical it would be in the Cypriot heat.  She placed the dress back on the rail, feeling rather downhearted at the thought of having to forgo this stylish and elegant dress as a potential option for her wedding.

She couldn’t help thinking that time was soon running out and that she’d never find the perfect dress that would truly feel beautiful enough to marry her Prince Charming.

“Do you know what style you’re looking for Miss?” The older assistant asked, giving her a sickly sweet smile. As she looked around at all the magnificent dresses she couldn’t see a single one that would be suitable for the climate they would be travelling out to.  

“These are all exquisite dresses, but they are little on the large side for what I had in mind. My fiancé and I are having a beach wedding, so ideally I’d like something floaty and lightweight.”

The shop assistant stared blankly at her for a moment before disappearing behind the red velvet curtain, only to reappear a few minutes later with a large white dress bag. Hanging the dress out in front of them, the two friends stared in excitement at each other upon realising they may just have found the one.

“This arrived just this morning and I think it may just be what you’re looking for.”  

Sophia stared in wonder at the magnificent dress before her, feeling a tangled array of emotions as she pictured herself standing on the sunkissed beach saying her vows with her beloved Tom. Her heart swelled with enormous joy at the thought of finally being married to him and finally becoming Sophia Hiddleston. She smiled warmly at that last thought, having never thought of how her new married name would sound.       

“Would you care to follow me through to the changing room?” The assistant asked, beckoning her to follow into the large fitting room at the back of the store. Beaming with happiness, Sophia let the young woman lead the way whilst carrying the dress in her arms.

 

 

Charlotte settled herself down with her glass of champagne, waiting patiently in one of the stylish Victorian chairs in the centre of the boutique. Situated next to a large round carpeted podium, she envisaged that this would be where the brides would stand to see themselves in their chosen gown.

As she sat quietly with her thoughts, she heard a buzzing coming from Sophia’s handbag.

“Soph’ your phone’s ringing, do you want me to answer it?” Charlotte called out.

“Yes please sweetheart.”

Delving into the Mulberry bag, she soon found the white iphone 5, surprised to see a name she didn’t recognise come up on the screen. Sliding her finger across the screen to answer the call, she placed the phone to her ear, instantly hearing the callers voice on the other end.

“Well, good morning. Are your thighs still aching from our workout yesterday?” The low voice purred, catching her off guard. Charlotte sat in stunned silence for a moment, the shock registering on her face as her eyebrows shot up and her mouth dropped open hearing the husky voice coming through the phone.    

“Sorry, Sophia’s actually not available at the moment,” Charlotte answered sternly, still a little taken aback by the forwardness of the callers tone.

“Who is it Char’?” Sophia called out from the other side of the changing room curtain. But Charlotte decided not to answer her, instead turning her attention back to the call.

“Can I take a message?” Charlotte said abruptly into the phone, not liking the tone of which this stranger had begun the call on the assumption he was talking to her friend.

“Ohh, right, well can you tell her Jason called?” He said picking up on the tone in Charlotte’s voice.

“Sure.” She replied, taking no time to end the call. She leant down to slide the phone back into Sophia’s bag, making a mental note to question Sophia on this ‘Jason’ later on.

 

Upon hearing the curtain being pulled back, she looked up and in that moment of confusion and irritation she was feeling from the unnerving telephone call had vanished. Seeing Sophia making her way towards her, instantly took her breath away and brought tears to her eyes.

“Oh my goodness, sweetheart, you look absolutely incredible!” Charlotte beamed, jumping to her feet as she wiped away her tears.

Sophia daintily lifted the hem of her dress and stepped up onto the podium and looked in awe at the breathtaking woman stood looking back at her from the mirror. The bridal gown fitted her as though it had been designed specifically for her as she stared at how beautifully the pure white satin clung to her form. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the plunging neckline leading to the sparkling decoration of gems sitting just below the bust, emphasizing her ample bosom. She adored the smooth yet elegant lines of the dress, flowing so subtly over her curves and leading down into a simple sweeping train.     

Her heart was pounding within her chest as she imagined herself walking down the aisle on their own private beach, with their close family and friends around them as she made her way to the softly draped gazebo to where she would be finally marrying her handsome man, the afternoon sun gilding off of his lightly bronzed skin.  

In that moment she felt happier than she thought was possibly imaginable. Turning to see the expression of jubilation on Charlotte’s face, she beamed back at her excitedly.

As she parted her lips to speak, she found that instead of forming any words she had a trickle of tears rolling down her reddened cheeks.

“Oh sweetheart! Why are you crying?” Charlotte asked, concerned that her friend was unhappy with the dress.

“I...I…” She began, still unable to express how elated she felt as the whirlwind of emotions swept through her.

“That is the one for sure Soph’, It’s perfect for you!” Charlotte chorused clapping her hands together excitedly.

“It really is, isn’t it!” Sophia was finally able to exclaim with a joyous smile lighting up her soft features as she slowly twirled from side to side taking in her reflection from every angle.

“I don’t think it’s going to need any alterations at all which is a bonus. It fits just right on the bust and the length.” She added, examining the dress once again as she turned slowly to see the stunning gown from different angles. After a few moments, looking back to Charlotte and the sales assistant, Sophia nodded her head in confirmation that this was indeed the one.  

The girls both clapped their hands in excitement, gigging at their mirrored expressions of delight.

Sophia made her way back into the fitting room along with the assistant to remove herself from the dress which surprisingly took much less time than it had taken to get into it.

“Do you fancy going for a spot of lunch after this?” Sophia called out to Charlotte, who was now sitting back down in the chair she had previously taken up residency in.  

“Yeah sure, how about that adorable traditional tea shop we passed earlier?” Charlotte replied, already imagining the enormous Victoria Sponge cake she saw in the window that morning.

“Oh that sounds fabulous!” Sophia chortled as she pulled back the curtain and making her way over to her friend, having now reappeared back in her black & white check pleated skirt with a sleeveless white roll neck jumper and knee high black boots to complete her sophisticated look.

Reaching down to pick up her handbag, Sophia slid her hand inside reaching for her phone, remembering it had rang whilst she was in the fitting room.

Charlotte stared at her for a moment, unsure it to broach the subject of the suggestive nature of the call. Deciding it was for the best she plucked up the courage and confronted her friend.

“Soph’, who’s Jason?” She asked hesitantly, trying to keep her voice casual as she stood up out of the chair to be at eye level with Sophia.

“What? Oh he’s my P.T why?” Sophia replied casually. She saw the vacant expression on Charlotte’s face when she didn’t understand the term P.T.

“My personal trainer. I started working with him about a month ago to lose some of my baby weight in time for the wedding. Why do you ask?” She noticed Charlotte’s look of surprise at the revelation that she had a personal trainer.

“But you don’t need to loose any weight, you look great the way you are. So, why have you been so secretive about it anyway? You’ve never even mentioned this Jason before.” Charlotte’s accusation took Sophia by surprise.

“It’s not a secret!” She retorted, maybe a little harsher than she had intended “I was given his number by Ben’s wife Sophie who has worked with him in the past. What are you getting at anyway? Where has this come from all of a sudden?” She asked, now stood defensively with her arms folded tight across her waist. Sophia couldn’t read the expression on Charlotte’s face as she stared at her, waiting for a response.

“Are you sleeping with him?” She asked, unable to make eye contact with her friend as she felt sick just asking the question.

“Seriously? You’re asking me this now… while we are in the middle of buying my wedding dress? This is one of the most special moments of my life and you decide now is the right moment to start throwing accusations around like that, with no explanation as to why.” Sophia could feel the anger raging inside of her at the hurt her best friend could even consider this enough to even think it, let alone say it out loud. She bit her lip, struggling to hold back her tears that were now welling up, threatening to fall any moment.

“What am I expected to think when some random stranger is calling your phone and asking if your thighs are still aching from your workout together yesterday?” Charlotte bit back at her, not taking any care of the shop assistants who were both stood in horror at the unfolding conversation.

“This is not a conversation I wish to have here or anywhere else, but just for the record, no I am NOT sleeping with him.” Sophia turned on her heel and walked to the sales desk where the assistants were both now busying themselves packing up Sophia’s dress into a large white box.

Handing over her bank card to the younger assistant to take payment, she then made her way out of the shop, thanking the two ladies for their help and their future discretion in not broadcasting her visit to the boutique. Charlotte remained stood in the centre of the store, silent and crimson faced as she watched Sophia hand the dress box to Clark, who had been parked outside waiting for them. Without hesitation or a second glance into the store, she opened the car door and slipped into the back seat. Ashamed of her actions towards her best friend, Charlotte didn’t move from where she was stood until she’d seen that the car had driven off into the bustling traffic of central London.             

“I’m sure I don’t need to say this but, please respect Miss Russell’s privacy in all matters discussed here today, we wouldn’t want the press getting wind of any details about the wedding.” She said in a hushed tone whilst struggling to keep eye contact with either one of the shop assistants.  Without another word she left the store and made her way home on foot.    

 

That night, Tom called as usual after his busy day filming on set and was concerned to hear the undertone of sadness within Sophia’s voice. Her bottom lip quivered as she began telling him all about Louis’s new teeth, which had been pushing their way through and had made him very grizzly at all hours of the day and night. She told him all about how she’d spent the previous evening gently walking Louis round and round the house, desperately trying to calm his continuous sobs by singing various lullabies to him and reading him stories but nothing had managed to sooth him. In an exhausted state, she sat cradling her precious boy in her arms as tears of frustration began to flow down her cheeks, wishing that Tom was there with her and their son.

In desperation, she decided to play one of Tom’s DVD’s in the hope that hearing the sound of his daddy’s familiar voice coming through the surround sound may ease his ear-shattering screams for a short while. She was amazed to find that this worked far better than she could have possibly hoped for, for both of them in fact as his tears began to slow and she felt herself beginning to relax at last. Settling down onto the sofa with Louis who was now enthralled as to where the voices were coming from, she watched as he slowly gave into his tiredness. Seeing her talented fiancé playing her favourite of his roles as Prince Hal in ‘The Hollow Crown’ and hearing his polished Shakespearean voice coming from the speakers in the four corners of the room, she felt an enormous beam of pride. Sophia felt relieved as Louis finally fell to sleep and she allowed her eyes to momentarily close whilst she leaned back into the sofa and resting her head on the large inviting cushion to her side.

She woke a long while later with Louis still soundly asleep in her arms. Struggling to keep her eyes open she felt somewhat confused at first, her ears tuning in on Tom’s soothing sultry voice surrounding her, until she finally realised that sadly it had simply been the DVD she had heard, which was still playing. Feeling rather downhearted at thinking in her sleepy state, that he had come home to her, she had made her way up to bed, placing Louis in the cot next to her, not wanting to be alone.    

 

Tom released a heavy sigh and ran his hand through his gingery-brown hair as he listened to her holding back her tears down the phone as she finished telling him her story. He couldn’t help feeling a mixture of contentment at the thought of calming his son by just the sound of his voice whilst being deeply concerned at how tired and upset Sophia sounded.

“Oh my sweet girl, I’m missing you both so much. It looks as though I have the weekend off and I cannot wait to hold you in my arms and kiss those incredible lips of yours.”

Her mouth curved into a smile at the thought of seeing him after the last two weeks had dragged by so slowly.

“I have some exciting news!” She burst out, suddenly feeling a lot happier at the thought of seeing him in just a few days time.

“Ohh what’s that?” He asked intrigued and pleased to be able to hear the joy returning to her voice.

“I bought my wedding dress today!!” She beamed, her smile radiating across her face at the thought of how perfect their special day will be.

“Darling that’s fantastic news! Did Charlotte help you choose it?” Tom asked remembering that she’s mentioned the two of them would be going shopping together. There was a long pause on the line which concerned him greatly until finally he had to check to make sure she was still there.

“Sweetheart, are you ok?” After another moment of silence he heard her sniffle as she held back her tears.

“Baby tell me what’s wrong. I hate to hear you cry.” He was becoming increasingly worried now at her lack of response to him.

“Charlotte and I had a fight.” She wiped away the tears from her flushed cheeks, refusing to let herself be upset whilst she was talking to Tom.

“What about? The dress? Is she jealous for some reason?” He asked trying to guess as to why the two of them, who had been best friends for so long would argue.

“She...she accused me of...sleeping with my personal trainer.” Her angry tears began once again as she explained to him what Charlotte had said and how she had of course denied it because it was ridiculous. It was Tom’s turn to go quiet now as he processed what she was telling him.

“But why would she accuse you of cheating whilst you were in the middle of buying a wedding dress? It makes no sense.” His mind was swirling but knew deep down that she loved him and would never cheat on him.

“Because she answered my phone while I was in the changing room and he apparently made a comment which she misunderstood the meaning of, putting two and two together and getting five.” She could hear the exasperation in her own voice that her best friend didn’t believe her.

“Oh...right. Well, I’m sure if you give it a few days the two of you can sit and talk things through.” He tried his best not to let it bother him, but he couldn’t help but mentally note to keep a closer eye on this Jason guy and how close he appeared to be getting with his fiancée.

 

To be continued...


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's taken me so long to update, I've had a slight wobble over this chapter and just couldn't find a point where I was happy with it until now. I hope you all enjoy :D I hope to update more regularly from now on :D Ellie x

Sophia breathed a heavy sigh as she once again stared over at the clock on the bedside table, frustrated to still be as wide awake as she had found herself at this time for the past few nights. Rolling over on to her back, she laid there for what felt like forever staring up at the ceiling in anguish, unable to switch her mind off long enough to fall asleep. Her argument with Charlotte continued to play heavy on her mind, having still not spoken to her best friend since the altercation in the bridal shop several days earlier. The bitterness and anger at the hurtful accusation of her being anything but faithful to Tom riled her to the core, expecting that of all people to doubt her, she would never have expected it to have been her best friend. In an attempt to clear the mental torture going over and over the scenario in her mind, she decided to make her way downstairs.        

 

The deafening silence of the three storey Victorian townhouse somehow only encouraged the torment Sophia was feeling as she settled herself in the lounge. Cookie had been nestled fast asleep in her dog basket when Sophia had entered but it wasn’t long before the puppy had made her way over, nudging her owner's leg with her cold, wet nose in an attempt to gain some welcomed affection.  

Setting down the freshly made cup of healthy fruit flavoured tea onto the small coffee table close by, along with her mobile phone and the baby monitor she had been clutching in her other hand, Sophia scooped Cookie up into her arms and relaxed into the oversized armchair next to the bay window overlooking the deserted street beyond.  

Curling her legs up tightly beneath her, Sophia sat quietly for a long while, contentedly stroking the lovable bundle of fur that now sat sleepily within her lap. She turned her attention towards the view of their quiet residential crescent which was currently bathed in a warm orange glow from the street lights. She soon became enthralled by their neighbours ginger tomcat, who was now slinking his way along the deserted pavement before descending into the lushious greenery of the large communal garden which sat at the heart of their little neighbourhood.

 

Sophia shivered uneasily from the chills brought on by her continued sleep deprivation, despite having tucked herself up into her favourite of Tom’s jumpers. The soft navy blue cashmere hung over her new slimmer frame following all of her hard work during her recent training sessions with Jason. Quickly wanting to distract her mind away from her personal trainer which sadly now reminded her once again of her ongoing altercation with Charlotte, she tugged the ends of the sleeves of the jumper down over her hands as she reached to grasp her enormous mug of tea with both hands.

In her efforts to feel less alone in these early hours, she clung to the feel of Tom’s familiar sweater on her soft skin, helping her to feel close to him as she sat in the darkness awaiting the inevitable sunrise which was just beginning to peek through the London skyline. She’d found herself seeking out the solitude of this beloved item more frequently each time he was away, desperately cherishing the familiar smell of his Armani aftershave. The distinctive scent, with its lingering heavy wood smell, combined with a note of tobacco and leather remained throughout the house, even when its owner was not.

Sophia slowly inhaled her handsome fiancé’s intoxicating fragrance, sparking a longing deep down inside of her which it did whenever she was in its proximity. It was the permanently encased aroma of this particular piece of clothing which it had weaved itself into which instantly encircled his essence around her, bringing her a warmth of contentment.

A beaming smile creeped across her lips at the thought that in just a few hours time she would be tightly wrapped within his arms, after having confirmed during their nightly telephone call the previous evening that he would be travelling back the next morning to spend some much needed time with her and Louis.     

 

Bringing her mind back to the moment at hand, she twisted her body round for a better view of her mobile phone screen which announced it was now 6:30am.  After finishing her tea, Sophia decided that a power walk was just what she needed to clear her mind ready to enjoy her weekend with Tom.

Having made her way upstairs, she stepped inside the nursery to see if her beautiful baby boy was awake. She instantly beamed seeing his sparkling blue eyes, exactly the same as his father’s, staring up at her and giggling to himself happily. She reached into the crib for him and cuddled him tightly whilst covering his little features with a shower of tiny kisses before settling into the rocking chair for his morning feed.

Once he was contentedly fed and winded, she selected some warm clothes for their early morning jaunt, dressing him in a pair of navy blue corduroy trousers and a warm knitted jumper which was emblazoned with a fluffy white rabbit. Settling him temporarily back down into the crib, Sophia quickly changed into her running gear, eager to be back long before Tom arrived home.      

With Louis now tucked up snugly in his slimline pushchair, Sophia called out to Cookie from the hallway ready to attach her lead. The light brown Cocker Spaniel, who was now more than twice the size she had been when she had first been presented to her loving owner on Christmas eve, bounded through the doorway at lightening speed when she realised it was time for her morning walk, jumping up at Sophia’s legs in excitement. Sophia slid herself into her fitted black gilet for extra warmth and headed out of the front door, determined to clear her mind of the impending conversation she knew she would soon have to have with Charlotte.

 

 The sun was still low in the sky as the blacked out executive saloon pulled up within the quiet residential street. Tom jumped out of the back seat, not waiting for Clark to open the door for him, eager to be reaquainted with his little family. Darting up the stone steps two at a time in his haste to reach the front door, with his keys already nestled into his palm, Tom entered the house.

The first thing that took him by surprise was that there appeared to be a lack of sounds coming from any part of the house. Hearing Clark follow him into the hallway and placing his bags down on the floor, Tom turned to thank his ever patient driver and to confirm that he would require himself and Sophia to be collected at 5:30pm that evening. Clark nodded in confirmation, shook the young man’s hand as always before he went on his way.

Wandering through to the lounge, he couldn’t help but notice there was no sign of their vibrant and skittish puppy where he had expected to find her within her bed in the corner of the room. Turning to make his way back through into the hallway, he wondered if Sophia was still asleep and if she had maybe taken Cookie up to bed with her for company the night before. He eagerly climbed the stairs and crept past the nursery door, not wanting to wake Louis if he was still asleep. Upon reaching his own bedroom he was surprised beyond belief to find the bed made and empty. There was no sign of Sophia or the puppy which immediately concerned him, having not expected that before eight in the morning he would find them anywhere else but fast asleep.

As he lingered in the doorway, his eyes scanned the room, searching for a sign of where she could be, his face twisted with confusion as his eyes fell upon something protruding from in between the pillows on Sophia’s side of the bed. On closer inspection, he was taken aback to find his much loved blue pullover had been folded and carefully placed there along with her satin cami and shorts, the corners of his mouth turning up into a small heartfelt smile as he thought of his sweet girl seeking comfort from it whilst he was away.

He turned and made his way back to Louis’s room, expecting that perhaps Sophia had fallen asleep in her vintage rocking chair after the baby’s last feed, but to his dismay he found the nursery empty also.

Sadness and concern clouded his features as he started to think of anywhere they could be that might explain their absence. He knew she hadn’t gone to visit her mum because they had discussed his home coming just the night before. It was far too early for her to be at his mum or sisters houses and there was no chance she had made up with Charlotte overnight which left him feeling at a complete loss. He desperately tried to hold back his sense of panic, knowing there had to be a logical explanation as to where they were so early on a Saturday morning. A wave of dread washed over him as he thought something terrible might have happened or if Louis had become ill overnight and she had rushed him to the local hospital. Tom checked his phone, hoping there would suddenly be a missed call or text message appear on the screen, but just as it had been five minutes before when he had checked, there was nothing.  A sliver of doubt crept through his mind which he instantly brushed aside, not wanting to even give it a moment's thought, knowing there wasn’t a chance she would be with anyone else in his absence.

As the moments ticked by, he paced back and forwards along the landing, logically running through every different scenario in his head as he pushed his fingers frustratingly through his dark chestnut curls which was unusually free of any product, knowing he would be out of sight from members of the public for most of the day. He took a deep breath to steady himself whilst leaning on the bannister as he contemplated who he could call regarding the possible whereabouts of his wife to be and their son, just as the niggling suspicion began to creep its way back into his subconscious. A small part of him began to wonder if there could be any truth to Charlotte’s accusations and whether in that moment Sophia was infact fast asleep, in the arms of her personal trainer.

He didn’t want to doubt her nor question her loyalty to him, but his painful past still haunted him, clouding his judgment even after everything the two of them had been through together.

Tom’s frantic thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of a key turning in the lock of the front door and the familiar scratching of claws on the wooden floor. Cookie let out a number of high pitched yaps as she went bounding through the house towards the kitchen.

“Yes Cookie, it’s time for breakfast!” He heard Sophia’s gentle and happy singsong tone call out along the hallway, reaching his ears as he stood motionless listening from the first floor landing. The warmth of her laughter radiated through him like an electric current, sparking his mind to life and pulling him away from the wretched insecurities he’d been feeling. The pure delight and anticipation of finally seeing her after being apart these last two weeks and holding his son in his arms was too much of a pull to remain fixed to the spot for another second.

He effortlessly reached the bottom of the stairs and stood watching fixated as Sophia stepped backwards through the doorway. So engrossed in maneuvering the pushchair into the entrance of the hallway and talking away to Louis as she did so, she hadn’t yet noticed the tall, handsome figure behind her.

Unhooking Louis from his restraints, she beamed with happiness at just how much he was beginning to look like his father. Along with his incandescent bluey-green eyes, he had also inherited his infectious smile which instantly melted the heart of everyone who came into contact with him. It also appeared he would soon be graced with the same adorable blonde curls Tom himself had had as a child.

“Your daddy is going to be home soon little man and we are very excited aren’t we? Yes we are! We are going to give him lots and lots of kisses and cuddles to make up for having been away for so long just so that he knows how much we have missed him.” She held Louis up in front of her, kissing his forehead tenderly before lowering him to rest on her hip and turned on her heel to make her way towards the kitchen and to begin her chores for the morning.     

“JESUS, TOM!!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, suddenly seeing her casually dressed fiancé stood just metres away from her. A cheeky grin spread wide across his face at her reaction to his presence at the foot of the stairs.

“Hello darling!” He smirked, unable to hide his delight of her surprise to see him.

“How long...have you been back?” She managed to ask, grasping a hand to her chest as she desperately tried to get air into her lungs after the shock.

“I got home a short while ago. I wanted to get back early so that we could make the most of our time together but I was a little caught short to find the house so empty.” He couldn’t keep the twinge of disappointment from his voice as he spoke, running a hand through his ruffled hair before it glided down his exposed neckline and coming to rest on his collarbone.    

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here when you got back sweetheart. I haven’t seen sleeping much these last few nights and I was awake long before the sun came up this morning so decided a power walk would do me good before breakfast.” She gave him the brightest of smiles, delighted beyond measure that he was finally home. Taking the few short strides over to her, he quickly engulfing himself in the sincerity of her explanation in an attempt to brush away the insecurities he had allowed to plague his mind just a few minutes ago. Taking in her appearance, he could instantly see that she was dressed in her running gear and chastised himself for having ever thought badly of her.

“I’ve missed you so much!” She exclaimed, as he threw his arms around her, enveloping her into his embrace whilst being careful not to squash Louis in the process.  

“I’ve missed you too, baby.” He crooned, his hand stroking her soft cheek before leaning in to kiss her supple lips. Sophia rested her head on his chest, breathing in his musky scent as he wrapped his arms around his incandescent fiancée and their son, feeling complete in his being once again. Tom’s attention was soon drawn down to the giggling bundle of joy perched on Sophia’s hip.   

“Look at you little man! Wow, you’ve grown so much since I last saw you!” Tom couldn’t hold back his surprise at the difference he now saw in his son, both his actual size and the physical features he now possessed as he gleefully held out his arms in a grabbing motion to his father seeking his affection. Tom gladly reached out to pull Louis to him, beaming with happiness at how excited his little boy was to see him. Louis reached his tiny hands out to touch Tom’s stubbled cheeks and giggled happily as he was showered with kisses and cuddles.  

“He’s beginning to look more like you everyday.” Sophia exclaimed lovingly as she contentedly watched the two of them. Having her adoring husband-to-be back where he belonged, an idea suddenly came to her to which she instantly wanted to share with him.

“I was thinking…I know you’ve only just got home but what do you think to the idea of Louis and I coming back down to Devon with you for a few days? If we wouldn’t be in the way that is.” She suggested eagerly. Tom’s face lit up in jubilation at the thought of spending more time with her and Louis when he wasn’t needed for filming so that they could spend more quality time together.

“Oh sweetheart, that would be perfect and of course you wouldn’t be in the way! You will love it down there, it’s so beautiful where we are shooting and it’s perfect for long walks along the beach and through the open countryside too.” He replied jubilantly, pulling her into him to share in a tender and loving kiss. She reached one of her hands up to caress his cheek before sliding her fingertips into his luscious hair whilst pulling him further into their embrace.

Finally letting their lips part long enough to each take a breath, Sophia murmured that she would call Tom’s mum later that day let her know she won’t need to have Louis this week whilst also noting to cancel her training sessions with Jason.  Tom struggled to keep his sudden distaste under control at the mention of her personal trainer’s name as he nodded in agreement, trying to keep his mind focused on spending as much time with her as he could.   

Their affectionate embrace was cut short at the sound of their now impatient puppy who was making quite a racket as she waited to be fed. Reaching down, she took Tom’s free hand that wasn’t holding Louis to his hip and led him contentedly towards the kitchen.

 

As they entered the room, Cookie barked in triumph at finally gaining their attention. Tom settled Louis down into his bouncer and began assembling a light breakfast of tea and croissants for himself and Sophia whilst she tended to their skittish Cocker Spaniel.  The playful puppy began eagerly circling around Sophia’s ankles as she began preparing Cookie’s breakfast which she had more than earned after their long walk earlier that morning.

Once she had pacified their excitable pooch, Sophia turned to look at Tom, who’s face was now radiating a broad smile in pure delight as he played happily with Louis before she joined him at the table.

They spent the next hour relaxing together enjoying a leisurely breakfast before Tom announced he needed to make a quick telephone call and disappeared off into his office taking Louis with him, allowing Sophia to relinquish her running clothes to shower and change as instructed, into warm but comfortable clothes ready for their family day together.

Tom quickly dialed ahead to a quaint coffee shop he knew of close to the intended route he had planned for their walk, to arrange a surprise picnic to be collected later that morning.

He briefly logged into his laptop in the hope of further responses waiting in his inbox regarding the arrangements for Sophia’s upcoming birthday. With this being a particularly special birthday, Tom wanted to ensure her thirtieth was a birthday weekend to remember. He had arranged with a close friend to hire out his newly opened champagne bar in the stylish suburb of Soho on the Saturday night before her birthday to celebrate with all of their family and friends. He’d been able to contact most of her university chums along with many of her old work colleagues from the PR firm she’d worked for back in Birmingham with a lot of help from Charlotte. She’d also been helping him with the finer arrangements for the party for the last few of months when he had been out of the country and whilst tied up with long filming days when he returned. Most of the guests had replied almost immediately to confirm their attendance, especially with it having been several long months since they had last seen her after starting her new life in London with Tom.

He had taken it upon himself to be solely in charge of arranging her birthday cake and the travel arrangements for Sophia’s mum and stepdad, who would be staying with them for several days to look after Louis whilst the second part of Tom’s secret plans took place. Not wanting to let the first anniversary of the night they met go past without a celebration also, he had made special arrangements for the two of them to spend a night away to combine both of these landmarks in just the perfect setting.

 

Just before rejoining Sophia, who he could now hear was relaxing in the lounge watching TV, he quickly sent a text message to Luke in the hope of trying to resolve the animosity between their respective partners. Luke soon replied to say he was in complete agreement and that he was out of the country working with a client but would broach the subject with Charlotte when he got home the following day.  Tom let out a deep sigh as he sat back in his big leather desk chair and tried to enjoy the simple pleasure of Louis’s giggles as he gently bounced his son on his knee.

Deeply troubled by the thought of the ongoing quarrel, he was concerned at them not coming to a resolution in time for Sophia’s birthday. As time went on and if left unresolved, it was soon going to affect more than just their friendship. There was also both the business and social aspect of his own relationship with Luke at stake.  His mind contemplated the deep impact it would have on both of them, but in particular, on Sophia, if either Charlotte or both of their friends chose to no longer be apart of the wedding. Knowing how much it would devastate Sophia not to have her best friend at her side on her wedding day, he vowed to do everything he could to help put things right between them.   

 

“Are we ready to go?” He called from the doorway of the lounge, now zipped up in his scarf and winter coat before adding a baseball cap in the hopes of hiding his unstyled locks, whilst deflecting the attention of any passers by while they were out.

“So have you decided where we are going?” Sophia asked, standing up and making her way over to him, slipping her arms around his waist and planting a gentle kiss on his lips as he lowered his head to meet hers.

“I thought we’d go out for a walk and enjoy what looks to be brightening up into a beautiful day.” He replied, avoiding telling her any specifics of his plan for them.

“Sure! That sounds wonderful.” Her mouth curved into a smile at making the most of their time together. Collecting Louis’s day bag, which she had already prepared with nappies, baby grows incase he needed changing and a bottle ready for his next feed, she attached the bag to the pushchair. Settling him into his seat, she pulled the straps around Louis’s arms and buckled them securely. He was now contentedly sucking away on his dummy, snuggled up in the most adorable sheepskin all in one which included a hood with the cutest little ears sticking out of the top.

Having dressed in skinny black jeans, a tight fitting cream roll neck jumper and flat black riding boots, she slid on her formal black faux fur collar coat and tied the clinching belt around her new thinner waist, which hadn’t failed to catch Tom’s attention since his arrival home. He watched her as she bent down to attach the lead to Cookie’s collar, chiming to himself as how stunningly beautiful his fiancee truly was. He scolded himself once again for having ever doubted her loyalty to him.

They made their way out into the surprisingly pleasant March morning the sun having now taken off the crisp edge that had been in the air earlier that morning during Sophia’s run. Tom suggested they walk down towards the river to take in the view of the Thames and its surrounding sights which he’d found that he’d strangely missed whilst having been in rural Devon. They talked happily about the scenes he had been working on in the last few days and Sophia’s plans for her mum and Steve’s upcoming visit for her birthday, oblivious that they were also in on the celebrations Tom had arranged for her.   

Reaching the embankment of the river, with Tom firmly in control of the pushchair whilst Sophia happily walked along with Cookie, they leisurely wandered along in the glistening sunshine towards the Houses of Parliament, enjoying the bustling atmosphere of the capital. Passing by a large group of tourists eagerly queuing up to join one of the many river boat cruises they stopped to take in the chimes of Big Ben as it announced to everyone within earshot that it was now 11:00am.

“Do you fancy stopping for a coffee?” Tom asked as they reached a quaint cafe close by to the London landmark.  

“That sounds perfect.” Sophia replied. She found them a cosy table outside away from the door so that they could quietly enjoy the nice weather whilst being able to keep Cookie with them. Tom had made his way inside to order their drinks, well versed in Sophia’s choice of hot beverages when they were out. He joined her a short while later, explaining that he had been stopped for photographs with a couple of fans who had also been in the queue. Sophia rolled her eyes, pressing her lips together, unable to hide her frustration of them being unable to have a rare day out as a family without Tom being hounded for an autograph or a photo. She understood that he found it impossible to say no when he felt he owed so much to his fans, but she had missed him dreadfully and just for once wanted to be selfish and not have to compete for his  undivided attention.       

Before they left the cafe a while later, Tom mentioned he needed to pop back inside for a moment, much to Sophia’s confusion until she saw him walk out with a wicker basket in his arms.  She beamed happily at her incredible man’s thoughtful gesture, kissing him affectionately on the lips to confirm her approval of his surprise.

Sophia took over control of the pushchair and maneuvered it out onto the path, freeing up Tom to carry the basket containing their lunch whilst holding tightly to Cookie’s leash as they made their way towards St James park.

 

The warm weather appeared to have brought out many of London’s residents, who were now basking throughout the vast parklands, enjoying the sunshine and overlooking the majestic Buckingham Palace. Tom laid out the blanket that he had keenly stored beneath Louis’s pushchair earlier that morning, before helping Sophia set out the delicious looking picnic he had arranged for them. Kneeling up at the side of the stroller, he unclipped Louis and settled him down onto the blanket between the two of them, unzipping him out of his bodysuit whilst Cookie sprawled out at Sophia’s feet with her favourite chew toy.

Blissfully enjoying this well needed time together as a family, Tom and Sophia found themselves more relaxed than they had felt in weeks. Sharing a heartfelt kiss, the two of them gazed affectionately at each other, hoping that this was something they could look forward to doing more often.

Their intimate moment was soon brought to a close as their eyes were pulled towards their baby boy who was now excitedly giggling away to himself, flapping his arms and legs contentedly. That was until Tom began to playfully tickle him fondly, causing Louis let out a high pitched squeal, which brought them all into fits of laughter.

The remainder of their afternoon was spent strolling through the wide open park, feeding the ducks at the lake’s edge and enjoying the rare moment of privacy and nearness for the first time in weeks.

 

Upon their arrival home a while later, Tom announced that the surprises were not yet coming to an end, which were greeted with a shriek of excitement followed by loving kiss between he and his now joyous fiancee before they both headed up to shower and change ready for the night ahead. Tom had arranged for Clark stop off at Diana’s house to drop off Louis and Cookie who would be staying with her for the evening before the two of them headed into central London to enjoy a romantic meal followed by a night at the theatre, which was exactly what the two of them needed.

Upon leaving the theatre later that evening, neither of them was quite ready to call it a night. Tom guided them just a short walk away to an exclusive bar he had been to once before. Making their way through the crowd to the long black marble bar, Tom was a little surprised by the less than subtle change of decor since his last visit, now with a much softer and yet sophisticated feel which he very much found was more to his taste. After ordering two glasses of champagne, they made their way over to a vacant leather couch where they cosied up together enjoying a rare moment enjoying a rare moment together, letting the rest of the world fade into the distance as they reveled in each other's company. They talked of their upcoming wedding, the final arrangements they had left to make, which included Tom having still not started his speech for the reception. They were soon laughing and joking at the thought of what Chris’s attempt at a best man speech would be like. The same best man who had announced to them both late one night during a skype chat that Tom’s bachelor party would be taking place the night before the wedding. This wasn’t something that Sophia was entirely comfortable with, mainly on the basis that she knew how much the two of them could drink when they were together and had visions of the pair of them being late for the ceremony!

 

Arriving home sometime after midnight, they found themselves barely through the front door before their bodies had eagerly found one another through the darkness. A tangled frenzy of wanton lips, teeth and tongues collided as Tom’s hands firmly pinned Sophia up against the wall, desperate to claim every inch of her incredible newly toned body. In a hurried battle to free one another from their clothing, the hallway floor soon became strewn with everything but their underwear as their burning desire spiraled out of control. Their hands moved at a frantic pace, passion claiming them as their bodies reconnected with each other, wanting to be as intimate as possible for the first time in weeks. Tom couldn’t hold back his lustful urge as he rolled his hips upwards, his hardness creating friction against her delicate panties that released a moan from between Sophia’s clenched teeth. Reacting to her response, Tom repeated the motion, feeling his length stiffen at being so close to her sweet spot.   

“Take me to bed, Tom.” Sophia begged between their lustful kisses. Scooping her up into his arms and headed up the stairs. Once they had reached the bedroom, he sensually and seductively made love her until their bodies were crying out no more.

 

As the first beams of sunlight seeped around the edges of the curtains within the master bedroom, Tom lay silently watching Sophia as she slept. He found himself transfixed as the soft morning light illuminated her radiant skin, his eyes feasting on her exquisite form to memorise every inch of her body. As his eyes began to roam freely, he could now fully appreciate her weeks of hard work as she’d attempted to gain back the slim figure that had so memorably caught his eye on the red carpet nearly a year ago.  

He felt a sudden need ignite within him, to reach out to this angelic creature whose naked body laid before him, simply covered by the delicate cotton sheet which had drifted down during the night to settle itself just below her pelvis, exposing her upper body to him. Seeing her lying there so peacefully, he couldn’t help but want to reach out to her, to lightly trace his fingertips over each of the freckles along her slender arm as it curled up around her waist, to feel the warmth of her glowing skin beneath his.

Lowering his head to where their precious son had once resided, Tom placed a gentle kiss, still trying to comprehend the way in which this woman and his son and changed his life, as though they had been a symphony to a man who had never heard music before.

Sophia lightly stirred as the faintest of sensations was triggered within her by his stubbly whiskers as they brushed against her pale satin skin. He soon heard the faintest of moans escape her lips from his touch, drawing his eyes up to lay witness to her gentle features as they faintly fluttered in response. Relaxing back into her pillow, Sophia was soon gliding back into a blissfully endless sleep for the first time in days, knowing for tonight at least, she had her husband to be once again by her side.      

 

To be continued...

 


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, for those of you that noticed I decided to take down chapter 34 yesterday. I had been working and reworking the next chapter and things weren't right. After a long decision and finally listening to my characters they have put me back on the right path. 
> 
> I have rewritten this chapter and hope you will all still love where the story will now lead from here. We have another 6 chapters to go before the end (it's all planned out so sit back and enjoy!) 
> 
> Thank you so much for your support and comments   
> Ellie xxx

“Can we stop for a second?” Sophia panted, reaching out to tap Jason on the arm as she came to a halt. Bending over and resting her hands on her knees, she took several gasps of air which she inhaled sharply into her lungs trying to relieve the burning sensation within her chest.    

“You okay?” Jason asked as he came to a standstill just ahead of her.

“I’m fine. I’ve not been for a run since our last session a couple of weeks ago and I ate far too much whilst I was down in Devon with Tom last week.” As she continued to inhale the air around her, she missed the flicker of annoyance which drew across his face at the mention of Tom, something he was finding harder to hide with every passing session he spent with this vibrant and incredible woman. He found himself watching her more closely, unable to draw his lustful glances away when she wasn’t looking, finding any excuse he could to be physically closer to her than truly necessary. In a secret attempt to claim some part of her body for his own, he suggested they break from their run and instead work on some core strength exercises.

 

Gesturing to a quiet part of the park, Sophia sat herself down and sipped a mouthful of water whilst awaiting his further instruction.

“We’ll start with some abdominal work. Give me 25 crunches…” He announced, to a pained look which quickly spread across Sophia’s lightly sweat-beaded face.

“...Yes I know! But you’re the one who decided to take a week off to go cavorting with your fancy man” He jibed, keeping the air of jealousy out of his tone as he knelt in front of her.

Lowering her upper body onto the ground and crossing her arms over her chest, she brought her knees up to support her as she began the first of her crunches. Sliding his hands onto the exposed skin of her lower legs, he used his body weight as an anchor to keep her feet firmly planted to the floor whilst feeling the familiar warmth of her radiating through his palms.

“He’s hardly my fancy man Jason,” She replied with a little humour in her voice as she pulled herself up into a sitting position. Lowering herself slowly back down, she added,

“He’ll be my husband in less than two months.”

As she lowered herself back down, tilting her head towards the bright blue sky, she was unable to see her personal trainer roll his eyes distastefully at the mention of her upcoming nuptials.  

“You mean he’s going to stop working long enough to actually make it to the wedding then? He seems to constantly be putting his career ahead of you and that baby of yours. I’m surprised you remember what he looks like most of the time.” He said, exasperation colouring his tone.

“It’s not as bad as all that! We see each other as much as we can but his acting is important to him and I would never want to stop him doing what he loves. He’ll be filming out in Majorca for most of June so we’re planning to have a week together before the wedding and then we have a couple of days after the big day itself before he’s due back on set. It’s not ideal but it’ll still be special.” Sophia’s mind wandered as she thought of how soon it was all coming round and her excitement at finally marrying the man who’d made her world truly complete. She was soon brought back to the moment at hand by a low irritated cough from Jason who was staring at her rather unimpressed.

“Sorry.” She mumbled, pushing herself back into her crunches without another word.

 

Time was running out, Jason thought to himself, if he was going to make her realise just what a monumental mistake she was about to make with her life. She deserved better than marrying someone who clearly didn’t see her as a priority in his life and wasn’t going to treat her like the princess she deserved. It was time to step his plan up a notch…

  
  


Later that morning, as she relaxed with a cup of tea in one hand and Louis in the other whilst they curled up on the sofa, Sophia looked around at the magnolia walls of the lounge and sighed. Ever since she’d first moved in she’d wanted to put more of a stamp on the place,  to brighten it up with some colour at the very least, something Tom himself had admitted he’d never gotten around to doing since he moved in two years before. With being away so much and previously having used the house as more of a pit stop, he’d always just looked past the lack of colour but had expressed his complete approval in any interior design she felt she wanted to do. She suddenly decided that today was the day she was going to do something about it! Not waiting to finish her tea, she picked up her phone and dialed Clark’s number to request a visit to the nearest homewear store for some essentials.   

 

Making her way along the many aisles of paint pots, Sophia had a clear picture in her mind of exactly what she was looking for. Having seen a number of inspirational pictures online, she’d finally settled on wanting to create a cosy and inviting environment for entertaining their loved ones whilst being somewhere they could easily relax as a family. Her idea was to create a feature wall within the room which would be centred around the fireplace. She’d chosen a solid block colour of rich plum with its surrounding walls to be a soft calico to complement the furnishings within the room. After calculating how many of each she expected she would need, Clark assisted Sophia to carry the paint, brushes, rollers and the masking tape for protecting the woodwork over to the counter to pay.  

Sophia raided her wardrobe once she returned home in search of some old gym clothes she no longer favoured as her chosen outfit for decorating and loosely tied back her poker straight blonde hair. At the opposite end of the room to where she would be painting, Sophia set up a playpen for Louis to keep her young son entertained whilst Cookie, who was a little more unpredictable, was temporarily re-homed in Tom’s study with access to the kitchen when required for food and water.

She carefully disconnected and removed the flat screen TV from the wall, took down all of the photographs and artwork and began shuffling the furniture into the centre of the room to give her a wide birth around the walls. Once everything was prepared, she covered the furnishings with dust sheets for protection from any stray splatters of paint along with additional sheets added beneath her feet to protect the bleached oak flooring.

The bland coloured walls were each wiped down in preparation before the first coat of paint was added to the chimney breast, instantly producing a warm glow to the room. Sophia was relieved to find a step ladder hidden in the cupboard under the stairs, which she’d hoped would make it easier to reach the very top of the walls.

The new self proclaimed interior designer found great encouragement in her handywork with a paintbrush, who up until now had only ever painted odd bits of furniture. She was determined to do a good job so to impress Tom upon his next visit home. Having completed her first coat she stepped back to admire her efforts when she unexpectedly heard the doorbell ring. Looking down at her loose fitting navy blue jogging bottoms and pale blue vest top she contemplated ignoring whoever it was at her door until the bell rang for a second time in as many minutes. Scooping Louis up from within his pen and settling him on her hip, she made her way to the door.   

 

Sophia was more than bewildered to find Jason stood on her doorstep clutching his mobile phone in his hand.

“Jason, what are you doing here? We didn’t plan another session for this afternoon did we?” She asked, confused to see her personal trainer for the second time that same day.  

“I had tried to call a couple of times but you didn’t pick up your phone and I was worried something maybe wrong, so I decided to come round to make sure you were alright.” He stepped forward, filling the doorway with his extraordinarily large body as he reached out to place his giant sized hand on her upper arm in reassurance. Taking her a little by surprise, Sophia stepped back out of his reach and invited him inside.

“Please forgive my casual dress, I got home after our session this morning and decided I wanted to redecorate!” She explained, waving in the direction of the lounge as they past the open door.

“Well I’m more than used to seeing you in your casual attire Sophia!” He joked as he followed her through to the kitchen, watching her hips lightly swaying from side to side as she stepped in front of him. In fact, he thought to himself that he’d only ever seen her in her running gear, something he was indeed very keen to rectify.

 

After they finished chatting over a cup of coffee whilst Sophia sat feeding Louis is scheduled bottle, she subtly suggested that she really should to get back to decorating.

“I’m happy to give you a hand if you’d like?” Jason offered, having stumbled across the perfect excuse to spend more time in her company.

“Oh I couldn’t ask you to do that, I’m sure you’ve got a busy afternoon planned.” She replied, not wanting to take advantage of his gracious offer.

“Funnily enough I don’t actually have any plans for the remainder of the day so I’m all yours.” He said, turning to give her a wicked grin in the hopes that she would get far more than just his help by the end of the day.    

“As long as you’re sure? It would help enormously to get the main walls finished before we lose the daylight.” Sophia beamed with relief as she stood from her chair and made her way through into the lounge, with Jason close at her heels.

Settling Louis back into his playpen, Sophia looked over once again with delight at the initial colour of the feature wall as it began to dry, beaming with pride. Jason had already got started on the first coat of the calico paint along the internal wall running parallel to the hallway so she climbed the ladder to begin adding masking tape along the coving before she too picked up a paintbrush.

In no time at all they had completed the whole wall and had moved on to the two narrower ones either side of the fireplace. There was already more of a homely feel to the room and she couldn’t wait to show Tom her efforts in helping in adding a touch of sophistication their family home.

Whilst caught up in her daydream, Sophia was unaware that Jason had downed tools and was now crouched down, watching her fixatedly as he refilled the paint tray.

“Jase, would you mind holding the ladder for me so I can reach into the corner please?” She called out, surprised when she heard his response from so far away. Stretching back up to his full height, the 6ft2in Adonis made his way over to the ladder and gripping it firmly as she reached up to add paint to the wall which had previously been out of reach.

Seeing her add the final strokes of paint and lowering the brush, Jason reached up to take the brush from her and slipped it down into the drip tray. Turning his attentions back to the pretty blonde, he held his overly large hand out to help her steady herself as she descended down the ladder. Once she was about halfway down, Sophia slid her hands on to the sides to guide herself down.

Turning her whole body around on the ladder, she was more than a little surprised to find Jason’s perfectly chiseled features were just inches away from her face and that he had in fact remained unmoved from the position he’d been in as he had helped her down, his whole body pressed tightly up against the steps.

Quickly, she glanced to either side of him for a way of getting past but it was clear he was taking up the majority of the surrounding space, making it impossible for her to get past him. Noticing that his eyes suddenly appeared to be firmly locked on to her own delicate facial features, she saw that they no longer reflected their usual azure tone but instead had been replaced by a darker, more intense shade of sapphire. The lustful gaze that was now pouring from him alerted her to his intentions, just at the same moment she felt his enormous hands cup her cheeks within his grasp. It had become quickly apparent that his offer of help may not have been so innocent after all.

 

Not wanting to show any immediate alarm, she calmly smiled and asked if he could pass her the paint so that she could continue further down the wall in front of her, but to her dismay, it was as though he’d not heard a word she’d said.His whole body had soon lessened the gap between them as she felt his hips nudge into hers, his prominent erection was evident through his jeans as he pushed himself against her slim frame, imprisoning her against the steps of the ladder.

 

Despite the concern rising up through her veins, she tried to think calmly, mustering as much strength as she could to surge the palms of her hands into his upper arms, in an attempt to push him away. Sadly, she knew her strength would be no match against the sheer size of this man, whom she had placed her trust in, whose hands were now firmly holding her still.

 

In an attempt to draw enough air into her lungs to speak, she felt her breath catch, her throat burning as she tried to take in any available air around her to stop her head spinning, as she tried to process the lightning quick change of the situation.  Sophia shook her head frantically, trying to communicate to him that this wasn’t what she wanted, her voice frozen within her throat.

“Jase...Jason...what are you doing?” She frantically searched his eyes for the man she knew but there was no recognition that he was anything but a stranger to her now, capable of anything.

  
  


Ignoring her frantic words, Jason hungrily lowered his lips to hers, the roughness of his actions momentarily shaking her to her core. The sensation of his kiss instantly felt wrong to her in every way, alarm bells screaming inside her head as she desperately attempted to force him off of her.  

The bile of panic was rapidly building in the back of her throat as she felt him attempt to force her lips to move with his before she felt his slickened tongue run along her lower lip, looking for a way into her mouth. She held fast against his efforts, her mind racing. In utter desperation to end whatever this was, she pulled her arms up tightly and again gathered all her effort to push him away. This time it appeared to have worked when she felt the pressure on her mouth lessen and pulled out of his grasp, turning her head away from him, feeling him take a step back away from her.

“What the hell are you doing Jase?” She turned and glared at him as she pulled her arms tightly across her body defensively.

“Don’t deny you haven’t felt something between us.” He calmly replied, seemingly in no way apologetic for invading her person.  

“NO THERE ISN’T! I’m with Tom!!” She yelled, unable to control her anger.

“I know you don’t love him Sophia, you deserve better than HIM. You should be with someone who will treat you with the love and respect you deserve. Not the way HE disregards you for his work.” Jason’s words were tinged with spite as he referred to Tom, refusing to call by his name.

“Where are you getting this from?!” Sophia spat at him to furiously.

“Jason, I love him. He’s the father of my child AND I’m about to marry him!!”

 Jason’s eyes flashed across his shoulder in the direction of where Louis was now asleep in his playpen.

“How dare you put me in this situation. I LOVE Tom...more than anything...and I would never do anything to jeopardise that. You’ve read something out of nothing between you and I. I employ you as my trainer and THAT IS IT!” She raised her tone with her final words to bring this debacle to an end.

Silence now fell between them.

Struggling to swallow her rage at how badly he had mis-read their working relationship, she took a deep breath before she stared at him with a new feeling of hatred for what he had done.

“I think you need to go now.”

Jason nodded, his eyes now unable to make contact with her own as he slowly stepped backwards towards the door, only stopping to pick up his jacket before he turned and left the room. A moment later she heard the front door briefly open and close before she allowed herself to let out the lungful of air she had been holding onto.

 

Her mind began to whirl as she thought of how he must have invented a fictitious reason for dropping by, knowing that she was at home alone.

She could feel herself trembling with the anger. She was angry with him on so many levels; for violating their working relationship and that of their friendship, but most of all her trust.  He’d shown a complete disregard for her personal feelings despite the numerous occasions she had spoken of Tom, of their wedding and how perfectly happy they were together. How could he have possibly mistaken any of that as a sign that it was acceptable to make a move on her like that?

“DAMN HIM!” She yelled out in frustration, punching the air with her fits as the realisation of what had just occurred between them truly dawned on her. She swiftly made her way over to the playpen at the other end of the room, in search of much needed cuddles from her baby boy to calm her emotional turmoil. He was the centre of her world and right now with Tom away, this was all she could think of to do.  

 

As she cradled her young son tightly to her chest, her mind raced through all that had taken place just moments before. So many conflicting emotions overwhelmed her senses as she struggled to come to terms with it all. Why had she not she seen signs that things were leading to this? Maybe it was her sweet and caring nature that forever wanted to see the best in everyone, even when it wasn’t deserved which had led to this.

She paced along the wooden floorboards, backwards and forwards as she tried to make some sense of this situation she found herself in.   The finger of blame faltering between herself, Jason and Tom. She contemplated anything she may have said or done to give him such a false impression, but was at a complete loss. Jason, for having crossed that invisible line between them shook her to her core. Her mind lashed out at Tom, for not being there to protect her from these unwanted advances, to be there now for her when she needed him most, but she knew that wasn’t fair. She couldn’t blame him for working, for trying to provide a life for them and their son the best way he knew how. She knew he hated to be away from them, knowing he was missing big chunks of Louis life each time he left for a different set location.

 Tom. How was she going to even begin trying to explain all of this to him? A deep, sickening feeling stirred inside her, scared of how he would react if he was to find out what Jason had done. What would he think? Would he believe her when she swore that she was faithful to him and that she had done nothing to lead her instructor into thinking that it was acceptable to try and kiss her. She contemplated if she should keep the whole thing to herself for hear of him not believing her, for thinking she had been playing away behind his back. The heartbreaking consideration that if he didn’t believe her would mean the end of their relationship, their happily ever after. A shiver tingled down her spine at the thought of losing the love of her life once again. After having almost lost him once for not believing in him enough to trust in him to do the right thing when the press reported their night together almost a year ago, she wasn’t going to make the same mistake again. She picked up her phone and hit the speed dial straight to his mobile number.

 

To be continued...

 


	35. Chapter 35

“Hey beautiful girl, I was just thinking about you.” The welcoming sound of her beloved man on the other end of the phone brought a lump to her throat as Sophia desperately tried to swallow back the tears that were building behind her eyes. She took a quiet moment to compose herself enough to speak without her voice giving her away, but the delay was enough to send alarm bells ringing in his ears, instantly alerting him that something was wrong.

“Baby, are you ok?” She could hear the concern building as he tried to gain any kind of response from her.

“Soph, sweetheart are you there?”

“I’m here babe. Sorry, I’m ok.” She tried with all her might not to let the tears break through the damn she had fought so hard until now to maintain.

“You don’t sound too sure, is Louis alright?” Silently nodding her head she chastised herself when it occurred to her that he couldn’t see her response.

“Yeah he’s fine, he’s here with me. He’s started making a few babbling noises, no coherent words just yet but he’s trying.” Sophia was fought hard to keep an upbeat tone as she spoke of how proud she was of her son’s latest developments. She looked down at Louis who was happily sat on her lap resting against her arm watching her as she talked into the phone. His eyes were fixed on her and the plastic object held up to her ear.

“Hold on a second.” She announced before lowering the phone. Sophia clicked the facetime button and waited for the video connection to begin. Seeing Tom’s smiling face in the centre of the screen, she turned the phone so that Tom could see their son. Louis, who was now waving his blankie around hadn’t noticed his father’s face flash up on the phone screen until he heard his name being called through the speaker. His head quickly raised as his eyes looked around in search of this new sound. Suddenly his attention was caught by the moving pictures in front of him. The infant’s eyes sprang wide at hearing the familiar sound of his name coming out of the speaker from the object in front of him.

“Hi Louis...it’s daddy...can you hear me?” Tom spoke in a soft and slower voice and waved into the little camera. Suddenly an excitable garble of “puh puh puh, buh buh buh and muh muh muh” came tumbling out of his little mouth as he recognised Tom’s voice and face, thrashing his arms and legs about in jubilation.

Tom was startled by the progress his son had made in just a few days.

“Oh wow! Louis you are such a clever boy! You’re going to be talking in no time!” Tom beamed with pride at knowing once again his little boy had recognised his daddy’s voice and in his own little way, tried to speak to him.

Switching the phone back to the call option in the hope of shielding some of her sadness for when she finally managed to explain to him the real reason for her call, Sophia placed the phone back to her ear.

“Well, that was a first! He’s not said them all together like that before! Mainly he’s just been “buh buh buh” over and over again as he’s been clutching his blankie but seeing you has really brought it out of him!” She let out a little contented laugh at how many hours a day she spent with Louis and yet it was the briefest of moments seeing Tom that brought his speech to a delightfully new level.

Sophia hesitated for a moment, releasing a big breath of air out from her lungs as her inner turmoil rushed back to the forefront of her mind.

“Tom…” Her voice was quieter now with a lingering hesitation.

“Yes baby.” His energized and lovable tone made it that much harder to tell him what she needed to say.

“What’s wrong darling? I can tell you’ve lost that beautiful happiness from your voice and I don’t know why. Please tell me what’s troubling you.” With all the love he felt so deeply for this incredible woman, it burned him to think of her in any kind of heartache.  The line was quiet for another few seconds as he heard her take a large breath of air, exhaling slowly between her lips.

“Talk to me, my love. You know you can tell me anything.” Giving her enough time to gather her thoughts, she took one more lungful of air before she spoke.

“I had a training session this morning…” before she could continue Tom had interrupted her,

“Oh no, sweetheart are you injured? Tell me you’re not in plaster at least?”    

Ignoring his words and trying to battle on through what she needed to tell him she continued.

“After I got home I decided to decorate the lounge as a surprise for when you got home at the weekend…” Tom hijacked her explanation for a second time.      

“You did? What colour did you choose? I can’t wait to see it!” His usual cool, velvety tones had been replaced with a much more excitable one, which Sophia was finding excruciatingly painful knowing what she was about to tell him would burst his happy bubble. She forced herself to continue on, instantly forgiving him and his giddiness being completely unaware of the point she was trying to come to.  

“Tom…” She said allowed once again, but this time didn’t give him the opportunity to interrupt for a third time.

“While I was decorating, Jason came round...he offered a helping hand with the painting which I was grateful for until…” She took a second to take a deep breath, noting how deathly silent Tom had now gone on the other end of the line.

“Until he...please don’t get angry, but he kissed me.” She raced through the final few words as though by somehow saying them quickly would make them less painful for him to hear.

There was a deathly silence now from the other end of the call. Sophia held her breath in hesitation, unable to gage Tom’s reaction from hundreds of miles away. She hadn’t dare tell him over video chat, for fear of seeing his celestial blue eyes and enchanting smile would somehow have made it all the harder to tell him this devastating news.

Sophia was now wishing that he would speak, prayed to hear the warmth of his voice, reassuring her of his love despite the cruel blow she had just dealt him in her admittance.  She was desperate to know his thoughts, for him to scream, shout, something, anything that would indicate his acknowledgement of what she had just told him.

At the other end of the call Tom slowly played her words over in his mind, unable to believe how downright disrespectful this lowlife had been to think he could take advantage of Sophia when all she’d done was innocently accept his help.

 

The sound of his own heartbeat thrummed in his ears as blood was rapidly pumping through his veins. The anger and frustration raced through his mind, the mental images of this perfect stranger making moves on HIS soon to be wife, in HIS own home while all the time knowing Tom was miles away and incapable of doing anything to stop his advances on Sophia.

 

“When did it happen?” He asked, needing to form in his own mind a picture of how it all came about.

“A short while ago. He left almost straight away after I yelled at him. I instantly went to Louis the second he was gone and held him for what felt like ages. Our little boy is the closest thing I have to you when you’re away, and I needed you so much. To be in your arms, hearing you tell me you love me as you held me tight.” Her voice broke a little as she spoke, struggling to hold back the tears she’d so bravely fought off until now.   

“Did he hurt you?” As his words spoke of concern she couldn’t help but notice there seemed to be a fragile yet dejected tone in his voice.

“No. I managed to push him away after he kissed me.” She told him, still unsure as to where her inner strength had come from.

“And you’re sure you aren’t hurt, he didn’t…” He couldn’t finish his sentence, not wanting to say the word out loud.

“No, no! He pinned me against the ladder as I climbed down and forced himself onto me but it was only a kiss.”

“How dare he take advantage you like that?!” Tom couldn’t help vocalising his irritation for what this man had done. His mind was traveling at light speed now, wanting to be there with her when she needed him most.

He heard a faint knock on his trailer door, indicating he was required in hair and makeup before his next scene began. He couldn’t think straight, not wanting to hang up from her, knowing that she needed him but also his obligation to the team of people waiting for him out on the set. Before he gave it a second thought he knew what he needed to do, as a man and as a loving partner.

 

“Baby I’m coming home. I’ll be there in a few hours.” There was no room for questioning, Sophia knew that from the tone in his voice. He knew he’d be unable to drop back into the mindset of his character knowing Sophia was alone in the house, not wanting to consider that waste of space personal trainer making a reappearance.

“Tom I’m ok, I’m a little shaken but I don’t want to drag you away from your work, I know how important it is.” She knew she had to at least try and convince him that she was alright, although all she wanted in that moment was to melt into the security of his arms, the only place that she truly felt safe.

“I’m not having you be there alone after this, I need to see you baby, be with you, and Louis right now. I’ll smooth it over with the production team. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”  As though a spark had been light underneath him, Tom sprang to his feet, grabbing his bag and beginning to throw the few items he had with him, besides the things he had back at the hotel which he could live without for the next few days.

“Sweetheart, I promise you I will be home soon to hold you in my arms and help you to feel safe within our home again. You and our baby are the most important thing in the world...nothing comes before you two.” He stopped for a moment as his eyes crossed over the picture of the three of them which had been taken only a few weeks ago when they’d taken Louis for his first experience of the seaside. Their smiling faces beamed up at him from the golden sandy beach as a lump formed in his throat, wishing they were with him now.

“I’ll see you soon baby, I love you.” He managed a smile as he stared at her beaming face looking back at him, his heart swelling with all the love he felt for her.

“I love you too.” Her voice was wobbly as she spoke with a mixture of anger of what had occurred but the overwhelming sense of joy that he would soon be in the arms of the man she loved.

  
  


Sophia slowly made her way up the stairs, clutching her precious sleeping angel nestled tightly in her arms as she made her way towards the nursery to settle him down for the night. She had hoped that Tom would make it home in time to help put him to bed but Louis had been contentedly napping as they had cuddled on the sofa, enjoying some quiet time together whilst Sophia tried to make sense of what had happened earlier that afternoon.

Laying him down into the crib, she tucked him in with his favourite blanket and placed a single kiss upon his head, his eyelids already tightly closed as he drifted off into the land of dreams.  

“I love you to the moon and back my little one.” She whispered, turning on the small teddy bear nightlight which was attached to the side of the crib. Sophia stood for a few moments watching him sleep before a sick, panicked feeling coursed through her veins at the sound of someone at the front door, scared that Jason had come back, until she heard the heart-warming voice of her loving man call out to her.

Tom let out a heavy sigh, relieved to finally be home after what had felt like the longest journey back from the sleepy south Devonshire village where they were still filming scenes for ‘The Night Manager’. Eager to see his beautiful girl, he dropped his bag down onto the wooden floor of the hallway. He beamed with delight as she hastily made her way down the staircase. His heart pounded in his chest as his eyes watched her, this vision in front of him in her casual yet alluring outfit of skinny blue jeans, a simple beige vest top which had been teamed with a soft raspberry coloured cardigan which fastened with a buckle just above her waist emphasizing her already impressive cleavage. Reaching the foot of the stairs she jumped from the last step and into his awaiting arms, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist to be as close to him as she could. Tom held her tightly to his muscular frame, not wanting to be anywhere else in that moment. As their powerful embrace molded their bodies around one another, it was as though two halves had become whole once again.

Sophia’s arms enveloped around him as she buried her head into the crease of his neck and reached out for the familiar texture of his soft gingery-blond hair.  She was surprised to find it had been cut shorter since the last time she had seen him, yet thankfully still long enough to run her fingers through in her usual loving way. Breathing in his very existence, she savoured the moment of finally having him home and being safe within his arms at last.

Caressing his large nimble hands across her back and up to her tense shoulders, Tom began to lace a delicate weave of soft kisses along her collarbone and the irresistible column of her neck towards her pulse point where her heartbeat was pounding rapidly under her skin at his touch. All that he had desired since their phone call earlier that afternoon was the complete satisfaction of having her body entwined with his in the intimate of ways. To hear of another trying to lure this vibrant and dazzling woman away from him in his absence was as painful as though he’d been stabbed within his very heart, the thought of losing her was simply unimaginable.

In his haste to reclaim her as his own and to reassure both himself and the delectable beauty in his arms, his lips greedily found hers in a tumble of rough kisses. The need for her was rapidly escalating as his tongue darted out to taste her sweetness before greedily seeking entry to her mouth to which she so gladly gave. As the heightened rush of lips, teeth and tongues moving in sync, a spark of intense need was lit between them, driving them on in a need rediscover one another. With every movement of their lips, each one drawing out the longing and wanton desire they each felt inside to reconnect, whilst soothing and reassuring the other that their love was all that mattered.

“Oh god baby, I’ve missed you so much.” Tom growled longingly between kisses, not wanting to part from her a second longer than truly necessary. His hand slid up into her hair, pulling her into an even more intense kiss.

“I’ve missed you too.” She managed to breathless whisper when they parted for air.

They could both feel the physical need between them climbing, their bodies eager to let the other know how turned on they were within that moment. Tom’s jeans were already straining to hold back his throbbing erection which Sophia could feel bobbing against her underside through her jeans, making her insides yurn for him.

With Sophia still straddling his waist, Tom frantically gravitated their bodies towards the wall, rolling his hips upwards into her core, his length was now desperate to be unleashed and within her. The intensity between them was almost carnal as he maneuvered his hand under her cotton vest, taking enormous pleasure in the feel of her warm skin within the palm of his hand. He tenderly brushed over her waist and eagerly up to her lacey bra, freeing her ample breast from its confines. Tom’s enthusiasm was fanned into a flame as he found her nipple instantly hardening at his touch as he teasing rubbed the pad of his thumb across her sensitive peak, instantly sending ripples of pleasure through her body. Without warning, Sophia found her mind pulling her back to the reason that had led them to this most passionate of reunions and suddenly found herself withdrawing her mouth from his. As she attempted to gain control of her arousal long enough to open her eyes she could sense Tom’s hot,wet mouth hovered over her neck, his breath tingling her skin as he awaited a sign to explain the abrupt pause to their intimacy.

“Sweetheart, shouldn’t we talk first, before we…” Without allowing her to finish he shook his head in response and began to trace up the column of her neck with the tip of his tongue before trailing open mouthed kisses along her jawline.

“I am yours and you are mine my love, what more is there to say?” His voice was rough and husky as he tried to reassure the woman in his arms of their deep rooted affection for one another, despite the best efforts of her personal trainer to come between them.

Turning his attention back to her delectable collarbone, his every kiss sent shivers of desire across every inch of her skin. As he nipped and caressed his way down towards her breasts he drew a sensious moan from within her very core, causing her to throw her head back, unable to maintain control of her own body at the hands of this man’s ever hungry lips. The very touch of her loving husband to be had dispelled any hesitation she had regarding their bypassing of the conversation about Jason, finding herself instead clamping her inner thighs around him tightly and sinfully bucking her hips into his waist in need of further stimulation whilst her fingertips greedily made light work of the buttons of his formal white shirt.

Sophia knew that their wanton lust for each other was going to make it almost impossible to separate long enough to reach their bedroom and so decided in that moment to play out a fantasy she’d considered so many times before, yet never having previously had the courage to act on.   

“Tom...let’s move to your office.” She managed to stutter breathlessly as he unfastened her cardigan, sliding it off over her shoulders and dispersing it on the floor in one fluid motion. He then began to pull roughly at her vest top, removing it one handedly over her head to join her disregarded sweater, giving himself an almost unrestricted access to her breasts. As the thought of what Sophia had whimpered into his ear registered through his mind, a devilish grin spread across his face, realising why she was so keen to visit his usually mundane study.

“Umm yes, naughty girl.” He purred lustfully, turning his attention keenly back to lustfully biting and sucking at her skin, intent on leaving an obvious mark above her left breast before sliding his hands around and under her delectable behind. With Sophia securely wrapped around him, he made the short journey along the hallway to his office and pushed gently against the door before leading them inside.

The softly lit room was lined with tall bookcases housing many of the great classics but it was his large mahogany desk which Sophia had in her mind when she had suggested this new location. Lowering Sophia down on to the edge of the old, heavy wooden desk, She soon took control of the moment at hand as she she slid her hands up his shoulders, guiding his shirt with ease down over his ever increasing biceps and down his arms to relieve him of the unwanted item of clothing. Her hands moved back to his bare chest, where she began to leave a trail of feathery light kisses all over his skin. As her tongue silkily circled around one of his nipples, a low ragged moan growled within the back of his throat at the overwhelming sensation of desperation and desire which was now coursing through him. His already throbbing cock which was already engorged to almost dizzying heights, impatiently waited to be unleashed from its restraints.  

His hands hastily made their way to the fastening on her jeans which were undone in no time at all, with the need to remove the unwanted denim and the need to gain further access to every inch of her exquisite body all he could think of. Sophia shivered with anticipation at the feel of his fingers brushing the very apex of her inner thigh and over the thin material covering her feminine area.

“Oh god Tom, yes.” She cried out, dropping her head back in pleasure and leaning back on her hands which were now sprawled across the desk as his fingers shifted her panties aside to gain entrance to her soft folds.

Hearing her encouraging words drove him on to push deep inside of her with one, and then a second manicured finger, pumping gently in and out of her wet heat as he caressed her, quickly building to a steady rhythm as he reached up to unclip her bra with his free hand which he slipped off and left disregarded on the desk beside her now almost naked flesh. Cupping her right breast into his hand he lowered his head and rolled the flushed nipple between his teeth as he sucked and teased his sweet girl. Her panting hitched in her throat as she headed towards climax, her hips gyrating around his digits, desperate to reach those heavenly gates imply by his hand alone. Sensing her need, he slipped his thumb up to her swollen clit and rubbed her gently in a circular motion which soon had her grabbing at his jaw to bring him up to meet her own in a hurried and needy kiss. Her words were her nothing more than incoherent cries as she finally felt the crescendo of astronomical pleasure he had bestowed upon her.  

“TOM!! OH MY...OHHHHHHH!”   

Helping her down from her climax, he gently slowed his fingers to a tender massage until her breathing regained a steady pace once more. As Tom kissed her tender lips, he couldn’t help but smile at her wide eyed look of exhilaration.

Leaning into her ear he whispered,

“You look truly beautiful post climax my darling…” He purred, hearing her delectable giggle of shyness at his words before he continued,   

“And my love, you will be more beautiful than a goddess after I’ve finished with you tonight.”

His words had clearly had their desired effect as he felt her hand reach down to caress his now almost painful hard on through his jeans before finally unleashing the beast from his cage. Taking as much of his length within her grasp as she could, Sophia gently began to slide her hand up and down in a fluid motion whilst with the other hand she was able to remove his trousers from around his waist, leaving them to pool at his ankles before he stepped out of them with ease.

Already close to the point of releasing his load before she had begun, he soon felt the need to reach down and remove her hand. So not to concern her, he brought her hand to his lips and lightly kissed along her knuckles lovingly.

“Baby, I don’t think I can hold back with you encouraging me like that and I’d much rather I helped you to come again before that happens.” He said reassuringly. Leaning into her, he softly grasped her chin and lowered his lips to hers in a heartfelt kiss. As the spark rapidly ignited between them once more, Sophia’s hands made their way along the sides of his lightly stubbled jawline and up into his gingery-blonde hair. She found herself affectionately drawn to the feel of his soft tresses each time they made love, running her delicate fingers through his hair pulling him closer to her as their tongues enveloped one another's in an all-consuming exchange of wanton need between them.  

Slipping his thumbs into the sides of her panties and easing them down her slender legs, Tom grasped Sophia’s waist and pulled her towards him. The urgency to gain yet more intimacy with his fiancee had the red blooded male within in now frantic with lust to be one with the woman he loved.

“I.need.you.so.badly” She managed to whimper through their heightened kisses as she felt a single finger once again teasing the wetness of her entrance.

“Umm baby, I know.” He murmured, his own arousal pulled her further to the edge of the desk, his thighs now resting against the cold wood as he inched her down on to his hardness. Easing his hips forwards, he glided his full length into her with moans of pleasure mixed with “oh god’s” and “yes. there. right there.” as their bodies merged together. Watching the pure desire within her eyes, he slowly began to pull out but was soon sliding back in with more force than before, making Sophia cry out in ecstasy at the overwhelming fullness within her as she relaxed around him.

Holding her lower body close to him as she leaned back onto her arms, she tightened the grip of her legs around his waist, pulling him even further inside to hit that most welcome of pleasure spots. Groaning loudly as his length reached a steady pounding rhythm within her, taking them ever closer to their explosive orgasams. Tom reached down to gently take hold of her arms, bringing her upper body to sit flush against his own whilst now barely resting on the desk.                    

“OH...OHHH...THAT’S...UHH YEAH.” Was all she could gather as a response to this change in position as she grabbed at his tensed muscular shoulders.

Hearing her cry out was like music to his ears, knowing only he could give what she needed, selfishly reassuring himself as he slamming into her again and again that he was the only one who would ever bring out this wanton side of her.                      

“I’m so close but I need to come for me now baby girl, come for me.” As he spoke he reached down between them began to circle her neglected clit. A rapid build of lustful need swelled within her as he felt her body tighten around his length, her fingernails now digging into his hot, sweating back spurring him on to bring her to her climactic euphoria. Screaming out in pleasure as her earth shattering orgasm ripped through her, she felt Tom finally let go within her. Shockwaves rippled through them both as his seed seared into her, his hips continuing to jerk uncontrollably as her felt her throbbing around him.

Gently seating her back on to the edge of the desk, still sheathed within her and unwilling to lose this most intimate of connections just yet he held her tightly to him. Their chests heaved in tandem, desperately inhaling gasps of air into their lungs as they tried to regain themselves. Lowering his forehead to hers, wanting to be touching this incredible woman, HIS incredible woman, in every way possible. Tom closed his eyes, concentrating on his sharp breaths until he felt the tender touch of Sophia cupping his face whilst smoothly brushed the pad of her thumb over his flushed cheek again and again in a soothing motion. He tilted his head into her touch, welcoming the familiar scent of her perfume which lingered around her, now all the more intoxicating as it fused with the saltiness left on her skin from the thin layer of sweat as it merged with the sweet scent of her, post orgasm. This was all that he desired and more he thought, as his mind was left reeling at how insatiable she was to him, never wanting to allow this angel out of his arms.

She watched him curiously, trying to read the dizzying expression within his eyes as he lifted his heavy lids, unable to hide his lack of energy which had now washed over him after what could only be described as a manic day. Since his alarm had gone off early that morning, his early morning run which had been designed to clear his mind before his long and physically demanding scenes on set. Then later that afternoon, the emotional blow of hearing how a perfect stranger to him had made a play for his soon to be wife. All of this had paled into insignificance the moment he’d held her within his arms, felt the brush of her lips against his and thrust himself deep inside of her, claiming what was rightfully his and his alone.

Regaining his thoughts to the moment at hand, he couldn’t help but notice her eyebrows were furrowed in concern as she gazed at him in the hope of figuring out just what had distracted him. She knew what had just happened between them had been about reclaiming their love, reassuring the other that they were as strong as ever and that together was where they both wanted to be.

As she continued to stroke her thumb over his cheek, and before he had a chance to speak, she parted her lips and in almost a whisper managed to engulf the silent hesitation he had been feeling about how she in turn felt for him,   

“I am yours, and you are mine.”

A euphoric smile beamed across his face in acknowledgement of her use of his earlier emotional gesture, confirming her feelings for him were still as strong as they always were and that nothing had changed.

Reaching down to grasp her chin between his thumb and forefinger, he tilted her head up to meet his as he kissed her with the love and tenderness she had shown to him in return. After a few moments they parted for air, their smiles wider than ever as they revelled in their happiness.

Reluctantly easing himself out of her soft folds, Tom beamed with joy as he scooped the future Mrs Hiddleston up into his arms and carried her off to bed for the remainder of the evening.      

 

To be continued...


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all, I'm so sorry for delay with this new chapter but as some of you know I moved to New Zealand five weeks ago and it's been almost impossible to find the time to write. Originally I had planned for this to include another scene which I am now moving over into the next chapter as this one grew more so than I expected.   
> I'm excited to share this with you all and hope you enjoy it :D The next chapter won't be far behind, I promise! Ellie x

“You’re enjoying this far too much Mr Hiddleston!” Sophia pouted from the seat next to Tom as the car made its way through the bustling streets of central London. 

 

“I can’t be happy at spending the evening with my beautiful girl now?” he grinned at her, trying so desperately not to give the game away as to his plans for the evening ahead.  

 

It was Saturday evening and the loved up couple, sat hand in hand in their chauffeur driven car were heading towards where, Sophia did not know. Earlier that day, Tom had surprised her by arriving home from the three days he’d spent back on set after the “family emergency” at home late on Monday afternoon which the production team had kindly allowed him to rush off to resolve but requiring him back by Wednesday at the latest. He and Sophia had spent the whole evening of his homecoming completely wrapped up in each other's arms, restoring the loving bond between them until the early hours when sleep had finally surpassed their physical need for one another. 

 

The following day had been a well needed family day, with the two of them taking Louis for his first experience in a swimming pool at the private members leisure club that Tom’s sister Emma had previously recommended to them. Whilst there, Sophia signed up to begin using their gym as she expressed the wish to continue with her fitness regime despite unofficially firing her personal trainer. 

 

Seeing Louis excitedly splashing in the water whilst being held tightly by his father was a heart-warming scene that choked Sophia to almost tears as she watched them from her seat on the pools edge, dangling her legs in the warm water. The smiles of delight which graced both of their faces mirrored one another whilst their twinkling blue eyes almost identical in colour, gave Sophia the clear impression as she watched her two special men that they would no doubt have a mini-me on their hands as Louis got older.             

As Tom and Louis waited for her in the reception area after their swim, they were greeted by a surprise meeting with Benedict who it turned out was also a member at the club and on his way for a workout in the gym. Ben was delighted to have an opportunity to see his godchild who he was shocked at how much he had grown since last seeing him at the Christening just a month ago. Tom and Ben chatted away in hushed voices about Sophia’s upcoming surprise party, expecting her to join them at any second.  

“So, she has no idea that you’ve anything planned?” Ben asked, impressed with Tom’s level of skill at keeping the party under wraps. 

“Not at all. She actually thinks I’m working over the weekend so she’ll have a double surprise when I get back on Saturday. I’m heading back to set tomorrow but then I’d brokered four days off for her birthday and our anniversary so that I can truly spoil her.” Tom’s goofy happy face said it all with the excitement of surprising his girl for her special birthday. 

“It’s not every day you turn thirty after all!” He added with a grin that would easily have rivaled that of the Cheshire Cat. 

“It’s a shame about my friend’s venue having a flood and being out of action but I did manage to find a great alternative which I know she will love!”

“Ben! Hi!” They heard call out from behind them, Sophia’s singsong voice cutting short their conversation. 

“Hey Sophia how are ya doing?” He asked as he turned to greet her, Louis suddenly bouncing excitedly in his arms as he too caught sight of her. Lightly hugging their friend in a joyous hello she tickled Louis under his chin in a playful manner making him giggle. Tom stepped to her side and enveloped a large arm around her waist, pulling her tightly to him affectionately which she mimicked before gently rubbing her hand up and down his lower back through his pale blue tee. 

“How is Sophie getting on with her pregnancy? She must be counting down until her due date now I expect.” Sophia asked kindly, remembering all too well how their friend’s wife would now be feeling in her final months before their baby was due. 

“Emotionally she’s all over the place but surprisingly she’s managing to get about without too much difficulty. Her cravings seem to be off the charts though. The things she used to like she now can’t stomach and vise versa!” Ben explained, running a hand through his hair in exasperation at the thought of his many late night trips to the local supermarket for strawberry flavoured ice cream, hobnobs and pickled gherkins.  

“We’re just so disappointed that we can’t make it out to Cyprus for your wedding, what with the baby due around the same time.” He added. 

“Oh we completely understand mate, Sophie and the baby have to come first. We’ll make sure we see you when we return home, once you’ve settled the new arrival in of course!” Tom smiled in understanding, recalling how manic those first weeks after Louis was born had been before they had began to gain some normalcy. 

They were soon wishing Ben well and letting him on his way, seeing that Clark was now waiting outside the entrance for them.  

 

Tom found it hard to bring himself to leave his little family later that afternoon as he kissed Sophia and Louis goodbye on the doorstep, despite knowing it would be just a matter of days before he would be back with them. His heart yearned to remain with his beautiful girl, enjoying simple pleasures like being there each night for his son’s bedtime, watching him grow and develop as well as enjoying a quiet take away and a night curled up with his girl watching a movie or even socialising with friends on a weekend. All of these things he so often had to miss due to his continuous filming schedules on one project or another. Deep down though, he knew he was doing something he had always dreamed off and that his family and friends supported that dream. He always tried to make the time to see as many of his loved ones whenever he was home, which recently had felt like almost never. 

Realising the car was coming to a stop, Sophia stared in anticipation out of the car window, unaware of her fiance busily texting away to confirm their imminent arrival at their intended destination. She had hoped that their location may give her a clue to her as yet unanswered question as to where he was taking her. With the simple instruction earlier that evening to wear something sexy, she had trawled through her wardrobe for just the right hint of inspiration, eventually choosing the outfit she now wore so elegantly as Tom helped her out of the car. Taking a moment to smooth down her white, knee length pencil skirt which she had matched with a soft pastel pink satin top which scooped down into a “v” to reveal just a hint of her impressive cleavage whilst gathering around her waist showing off the colour co-ordinated belt adorning the top of her skirt. Her sumptuous look was complemented by the four inch pearlised pale pink heels she had chosen, her jewellery was classic yet elegant in the form of a white gold necklace with a drop down chain encasing a single square cut diamond, complementing the sparkling bracelet Tom had given her for Christmas which now adorned her wrist and finished off with a simple pastel pink clutch. Tom’s eyes had almost popped out of their sockets when she had made her way down the stairs to where he had been waiting for her ready to leave for the night, already dressed in a semi-formal navy blue suit with a crisp white shirt which he’d left the top two buttons undone for a more relaxed look. It appeared that from his face, he hadn’t yet fully recovered, given the lustful look on his face as he continued to watch her now in admiration, his eyes gravitating from head to toe and back again. 

“I’m almost inclined to whisk you back home looking like that young lady.” He mused, gliding his hands around her waist before pulling her in for a long, lingering kiss. 

“So, I take it my outfit choice pleases you?” She asked cheekily, as she felt his hands slide down to rest upon her backside before giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“It pleases me indeed, maybe a little too much for the company we are about to keep!” His devilish grin and wiggling eyebrows told her exactly what his prefered plans for their evening together would have been, bringing a sultry yet satisfied smile to her lips in acknowledgement of just how much he was very much still attracted to her. Wherever he was taking her tonight, she thought, they weren’t going to be alone! And with that, he stepped back and held out his hand to her, ready to lead her to their next destination. 

 

Having recognised that they had pulled up close to Leicester Square, Sophia had initially expected they were heading to one of the local theatres but instead he led them away from the tourist hive and along a busy street towards Covent Garden. It wasn’t long before they came to a sudden halt outside of a trendy cocktail bar which sat prominently on the corner of a crossroads. Seeing the excessive queue of revellers waiting to get in, Sophia was surprised when Tom led her straight to the entrance, with a single nod to the bouncers before stepping inside.

Making their way through the crowd of well dressed socialites enjoying an array of colourful cocktails, Sophia was reminded of their previous visit only a few weeks before, following their evening out to the theatre during Tom’s previous visit home. Squeezing past a group of twenty somethings who appeared to celebrating one of their birthdays, she couldn’t help but notice how much busier it was compared to the last time. 

“I wonder why it’s so busy tonight, maybe they’ve got a private function on downstairs.” She called to him over the loud music and heavy chatter from those around them. Tom hadn’t quite heard what she’d said and so simply nodded in agreement, keen to introduce his girl to her awaiting party guests. 

Making their approach to the staircase that led down to the basement of the bar, Sophia could see that it had indeed been roped off and a burly doorman stood turning people away. Pulling at Tom’s hand to gain his attention to change their course back to the bar behind them, he turned and gave her a broad smile before once again subtly nodding to the extremely well built man who stepped aside and unhooked the red velvet rope to let them pass with ease. 

Confused as to what was now taking place, a collection of butterflies quickly gathered in the pit of her stomach at the notion that her initial thought of a private party going on in the room below wasn’t entirely too far off the mark, except that she hadn’t anticipated that it would be in her honour. Before they had even made it to the foot of the stairs, she could see so many of her family and friends gathered around waiting to greet them with beaming smiles on their faces. 

Sophia threw her hands to her mouth in shock as a chorus of “SURPRISE!!” echoed around them. Tom’s smile radiated across his excited face as he looked back to gage her reaction to all his efforts to plan this without her knowledge. 

“Oh my goodness!!” She screeched excitedly, totally overwhelmed at how many people had managed to keep this a secret from her but most impressively her incredible fiancé. Throwing her arms around his neck in jubilation, Sophia kissed him passionately before hugging him tightly. 

“Surprise!” He whispered in his silvery voice, giving her the warmest of smiles. Suddenly, everyone descended upon her, wanting to wish the birthday girl their best regards. 

Sophia spent the early part of the evening taking the time to say hello to each of her guests, surprised yet exceedingly delighted to see so many of her friends from university and her colleagues from the radio station back in Birmingham where she had worked before she and Tom had got together. As she made her way around the room, happily chatting away about her incredible life with Tom who had unwittingly captured her heart, their beautiful baby boy and the excitement building around their upcoming wedding, she couldn’t help being blown away by the level of party planning Tom had gone to in making everything so special for her. Everything from the obvious thought he had given in choosing all the right guests to invite, to choosing the perfect venue with its low level hazy purple lighting and black leather furniture gave it a real nightclub ambiance which was completed by the array of balloons, banners and decorations adorning the walls whilst giving them the privacy away from prying eyes of the general public spoke volumes to the depth of detail he had gone to just for her.  

Looking over to one the alcoves, where she and Tom had previously enjoyed a glass or two of champagne the last time they were here had now been taken over by an incredibly overwhelming pile of gifts for the birthday girl. 

 

Whilst Sophia had been busy chatting away and enjoying the music being played by the DJ at the other end of the room, she’d lost count of how many drinks she’d been handed by various different people, clearly wanting her to make the most of a night off from her motherly duties. 

Seeing his beautiful girl so happy brought Tom a spine tingling feeling of delight as he watched her enjoying her special night with friends old and new. Slipping off his suit jacket and resting it over a nearby bar stool, he drew his hand up to his neck and rubbed it in a worried gesture as he so often found himself doing when faced with a potential stressful situation. He knew at some point during the evening that she would notice that there was one face missing, one he’d have done anything to have there and to make her night complete, but no amount of persuading would change Charlotte’s mind. He had tried so many times in the days leading up to the party, but she was as stubborn as her best friend and nothing he, nor Luke had said would change her decision before she simply refused to talk about the situation anymore. Throwing his hands up in defeat, Tom had decided that for now he would leave it be, but there was still the matter of her involvement in the wedding that was yet to be discussed. Just then, he saw Luke making his way down the stairs and over towards him, pulling him away from his own thoughts. 

“Hey mate, glad you decided to come. I know Soph’ will be so pleased to see you, she’s missed you.” Tom greeted him with a firm handshake and a pat on the back before they headed to the bar. 

 

“You couldn’t change her mind about coming with you tonight then?” Tom asked as they waited to be served. 

“I tried, I really did. She just clams up whenever I mention it. I wish I knew what it would take to get them speaking again, especially with the wedding so close now.” Luke looked down at the gift in his hand in defeat, fiddling with the ribbon that adorned the neatly wrapped purple wrapping paper which Tom could tell had not been wrapped by his publicist. 

“She will eventually, but I appreciate you trying. For both our sakes I hope they resolve it soon.” Tom echoed what Luke himself had just been thinking. Finally getting the attention of the barman, Tom ordered himself and Luke a scotch on the rocks just as Sophia came bounding over, throwing her arms around Luke. 

“LUKE!” she shrieked in a high-pitched voice indicating to the two guys that she had already had far too much to drink so early in the night. 

“Hey birthday girl! How are you? Having a good night so far?” He asked pulling her into a hug before steadying her on her feet, having wobbled on the spot in her extraordinarily high heels. 

“I’m having a great time! I can’t believe this wonderful man…” She said sliding her arm around Tom’s waist and gesturing her index finger into his chest repeatedly,

“...he has organised all of this…” She looked around whilst gesturing with her hand to the party room and all of its guests, 

“...and I had no idea! He’s been a very busy boy indeed.” Her incandescent smile lit up her eyes with the joy she was feeling as she placed a kiss on his lightly stubbled cheek. It was as though a switch had been flicked somewhere within her subconscious, the monumental glow of happiness on her face was gone and instantly replaced with one of total disappointment. 

“She’s...not here is she?” The two men looked at each other guiltily and then at the heartbroken girl who was now wrapped tightly into Tom, his comforting arm around her waist brought her closer into his embrace. Luke could only shake his head, no thanks to the enormous lump that had formed in his throat, the guilt at having upset this happy, bubbly young woman in the middle of her special night. 

“I’m sorry my love, we both tried but…” Tom began, but was halted by Sophia’s finger placed softly to his lips. 

“It’s...ok. I know you both did what you could.” She looked from one to the other and back again before her eye wandered to the passing waiter who had been circulating with a tray of champagne. Catching his attention, she took two glasses and lifted the first to her mouth, drinking its entire contents in one before placing the empty glass back on the tray. They both watched her, concern written all over their faces at her unprecedented reaction to this less than happy news. Turning back to look at each of them with a glazed look in her eye, she leaned forwards and lightly kissed Tom before twisting out of his hold and headed off in the direction of the collection of her friends on the dancefloor, still clutching the other flute of champagne.                        

“Well...that went better than I’d expected.” Luke remarked, still looking off in the direction Sophia had headed in. 

“Oh it didn’t, trust me. I know my girl and that wasn’t at all like her.” Tom admitted to his friend worriedly, running his hand through his hair in concern once again before taking a large mouthful of scotch.    

“Well for tonight at least, let’s make sure she enjoys herself and we can deal with the repercussions of Charlotte’s absence another day.” Luke raised his own glass to his mouth and savoured the intense burning sensation as the molten liquid glided down his throat. 

“You and I need to talk business while you’re home by the way. There are several publicity stints coming up which you need to be brought up to speed on for after filming finishes in Majorca.” Tom simply nodded, his attention now hijacked by the arrival of Benedict and a very heavily pregnant Sophie, with Martin and Amanda in hot pursuit through a side door at the far end of the room. Making his way over to them, he was greeted with an array of apologies for the delay in their arrival but being so pleased to see them, Tom merely waved away their lateness without another thought of it. Sophia had also spotted them from her position in the middle of the dancefloor where she was enjoying some specifically chosen songs from her teens and university days which had many of their guests up on their feet. Making her excuses to her fellow dancers that she would be right back, she finally managed to reach them without too much of a delay to welcome them with hugs and kisses all round. 

Tom silently watched her chatting away to Sophie and Amanda as the guys dragged him off to the bar in what appeared to have become something of a ritual within their social group at functions nowadays. He couldn’t help but notice a large amount of her spark had gone out in her since Luke’s arrival, or more to the point, the lack of Charlotte’s attendance. He knew it had cut her deep for her best friend not to be there to celebrate her birthday and no amount of alcohol could hide that from him. 

“I think we have those men of ours well trained now, don’t you agree ladies?!” Amanda joked, causing all three of them to laugh in unison. As they each relayed their various tidbits of news since they had last seen one another, Sophia noticed Sophie wave to someone over by the dancefloor. “Who are you waving to?” She asked quizzically, unable to make out who it was through her mild intoxication. 

 

“Jason.” Sophie replied in an enthusiastic voice as she beckoned the person over. Sophia really hoped she had mis-heard because she couldn’t imagine for a second that the Jason she thought she was referring to would possibly be stupid enough to turn up here after what happened between them. A sick, knotted feeling lurched in her stomach as she saw the figure making his way closer to them until she could clearly see his face enough to realise that yes, he obviously was that stupid! 

Before he could reach the three of them, she had taken several steps towards him, gripping her glass of champagne firmly in her hand and planting her feet, she stopped him in his tracks with the steely glint in her eyes. Coming to a halt just short of her reach and towering over her, despite her ridiculously high heels, he gave her his best innocent look which was having no effect whatsoever on her defensive stature. 

“Hey, Sophia sweetheart, happy birthday!” He chimed in his usual charming manner, however this time it wasn’t going to wash with her. 

“Don’t sweetheart me! What the HELL do you think you’re doing here?” She exclaimed, her mind quickly trying to sober her up to deal with this unwelcome intrusion, whilst making her best efforts to stay calm. 

“Come on babe, I don’t know why you’re being this way but how about we have a drink and smooth out whatever's troubling you.” His voice oozed confidence as though he truly had no intention of confirming he knew as to why she would be hostile towards him. 

“Seriously??!! ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??” She yelled at him, unable to believe the front of this guy and unable to hold in her outrage at his quite frank audacity. It was then that Tom heard her raised voice over the sound of the music, his eyes frantically searching for her through the crowd of people until he spotted her in a standoff with a tall, exceedingly muscular guy who he didn’t recognise. Making is way towards her he soon heard more of the conversation, 

“I have NOTHING left to say to you Jase’. I want you to leave, NOW!” She demanded, her right arm now frantically pointing towards the staircase. 

“Soph’ I don’t know what’s got you so wound up but can we just talk about this calmly? Maybe when you’ve sobered up a bit yeah.” Jason quipped in an off handed tone, obviously not taking Sophia’s annoyance as anything more than a drunken outburst. 

“For your information, my name is Sophia, and only my fiancé…” She bellowed, pointing to Tom as he came to a halt at her side who glared at this unwelcome stranger to their celebrations, “calls me Soph’, thank you very much!” Scolding him for his familiarity towards her. Ignoring his feeble apologies she continued, now intent on making him regret turning up and ruining her night. 

“So, if you’re not going to leave willingly...shall I tell all these lovely folks here why I don’t want you here Jason?” She retorted angrily, gesturing towards the people now stood close by, which now included Sophie and Amanda.  

“Shall we enlighten Sophie on just what you did to incur such a welcome from someone who not only employed your services as a trainer but had come to see you as a friend as well? I’m sure neither SHE nor her husband will want to hire you anymore either once she knows you decided to cross the professional line. That you came into MY home and made advances towards me with my infant son in the room just a few days ago?” There was a silence now amongst the guests surrounding them as he looked over to Sophie and Benedict for moral support but finding only contempt and revulsion on their faces staring back at him.

 

Tom was furious at this lowlife turning up after having made advances towards his girl but to hear him acting as though he had no idea what she was talking about was too much for him to handle. He could feel his anger towards this guy raging through him as his hands tightly fisted at his sides but Tom knew that as much as he wanted to punch his lights out, that this was Sophia’s fight. Remaining silent, he slid his hand into hers and entwined their fingers, determined to show a united front to both Jason and those around them. At the touch of his hand, Sophia felt an instant weight of tension leave her body knowing that he was at her side supporting her as she lightly squeezed his hand in acknowledgement of his support, giving her the confidence she needed to reclaim her sense of self worth. 

 

Up until that point Jason had chosen not to acknowledge Tom, his eyes fixed solely on Sophia but this declaration of their union was something he couldn’t ignore. Being at almost the same height, Jason’s eyes bored into Tom’s now as though this were a boxing match, sizing up his opponent before him, waiting to strike out with his first jab. Jason’s body language suddenly shifted from one of defensive to a self assured cross of his arms across his muscular chest, his feet now firmly distanced to give him a more striking stance in front of what he saw as the competition.       

“It was hardly one sided was it though babe? We both know you wanted it to happen just as much as I did.” Jason jibed, no longer bothering to keep up the pretense and instead changing his tactic to painting the picture of being one of two willing participants in their altercation.    

Sophia’s blood was boiling with rage. This despicable excuse for a man actually still believed she had feelings for him, having chosen to ignore everything she had said to him the last time they were together. She tightened her grasp of Tom’s hand, trying to give him a sign that this man's words were nothing but poison. 

“It’s all in your head Jason. There has never been anything other than a professional relationship between us.” She lowered her head and looked down at her fingers laced within Tom’s as she took a big deep breath, the alcohol having definitely gone to her head as she felt it swirling, but she knew this would be her only opportunity to say her piece. 

“You’ve clearly deluded yourself into seeing something that’s just not there. I’ve never given you any reason to think that I would be unfaithful to Tom but I can assure you, I have the man of my dreams standing right here by my side. You’re not even half the man he is or could ever dream to be. Leave now and don’t ever contact me again.”  

Holding his hands up in front of his chest in a gesture of defeat, Jason bowed his head before turning and making his way towards the staircase. Still clutching at Tom’s hand, she went to follow after Jason but Tom held her back and brushed his other hand down her cheek. 

“Baby let him go.” He insisted, not wanting to see her upset anymore by this worthless excuse for a human being. Finally, she nodded in agreement and turning into him, buried her face within his chest. They stood quietly for a several minutes locked within each other’s arms, reeling in their love. Tom affectionately stroked the palm of his hand along her hair whilst clutching his girl to him, attempting to brush away the tension which had grasped her so tightly throughout the confrontation with Jason. As he gently kissed her forehead and whispering words of comfort in her ear, he began to feel her body relaxing, slowly bringing her back to him.        

“Would you like to go home my love?” Tom inquired, concerned about his sweet girl as their guests went back to enjoying themselves dancing and socialising.  

“No no, I’m fine sweetheart. You’ve gone to so much trouble tonight and I am not going to let HIM ruin it.” She said determinedly through the smile that made her features glow. Amazed by her strength and will to not let that man come between them, he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her deeply. Their kiss spoke volumes between them, without a single word ever passing their lips. Parting themselves from one another just enough to rest their foreheads together, they smiled lovingly into each other’s eyes, a silent vow made between them in that moment that nothing or no one would ever come between them. 

  
The party went on late into the night with the drinks flowing and the dancefloor buzzing until they could stand no more. Outside of the bar, an awaiting taxi patiently waited whilst the couple said their goodnights to their remaining guests who had made their way out into the cool night air with them. Sophia curled up into Tom’s embrace as the taxi made its way through the streets of Westminster, eager to get home and to the comfort of their bed to sleep off what had been mostly an enjoyable evening.     

 

To Be Continued...


	37. Chapter 37

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for your patience with this ext chapter. I have been working on this for quite some time but I can promise the next chapter is almost finished so it won't be long until I share that with you too :D

Sophia woke early on Monday morning and smiled to herself seeing Tom already wide awake, sat up with his legs crossed and Louis quietly cooing in his lap as he sucked away on his little fist.

“What a perfect sight to wake up to, seeing my two favourite boys.” Sophia mused sleepily as she shuffled across the bed to kiss them both.

“I thought it would be a poignant way to start the day, the three of us together one year on.” He beamed, stroking his hand along her soft cheek and kissing her reddened lips before he crooned lovingly, 

“Happy first anniversary my love.” 

Her smile echoed that of her soon to be husband upon hearing these special words, “Happy anniversary baby.”    

Looking down at the giggling bundle of joy sat propped up watching them, Tom slyly slid a white envelope into Louis hand and lifted him up towards her. 

“I think our son has something for you, mummy.” Tom grinned a wicked smile, unable to hide how pleased with himself he was. 

Exaggerating a look of shock on her face, mainly for Louis sake she kissed his stubby little hand and took hold of the envelope making him giggle with glee. Holding it firmly, she looked up fleetingly to catch Tom’s eye as he watched her glide it open with baited breath, waiting for her response. 

Reaching inside, Sophia pulled out two rectangular tickets and stared in bewilderment, unable to believe her eyes. After reading and rereading the printed details she looked up at him in awe of just how incredibly romantic this lovable man was. 

“Tom, I, it’s just...wow!” Was all she could manage to say through her excitement. 

“I know it’s going to be a slightly delayed honeymoon but I hope the destination goes some way towards making up for that?” He admitted hesitantly. 

“Oh my goodness baby, really, we’re going to Hawaii?!” She exclaimed. 

“I’ve arranged the dates with Luke so that after the promotional tour for Crimson Peak finishes in New York at the end of October we’ll fly on to Hawaii to spend a week relaxing and enjoying the five star paradise resort I’ve booked us into. We have a lovely villa with its own pool, jacuzzi and even its own little private beach! Sadly though, I will have to drag myself away when filming commences the following week, but we have the villa for the duration of my time on set, so if you wanted to, you could stay with me.” He looked decidedly hopeful as he suggested the idea of them making the most of his time working on the beautiful island.

“But, what about Louis?” She hesitated. Tom’s eyebrows creased in concern at seeing the hesitation now written over his beautiful girls distant features, unsure at just what had deplinished her joy.  “It’s not as though we can leave him at home with your mum for eight weeks darling? I couldn’t bare to be away from him at all if I’m honest.” As she spoke, she looked down at their infant and felt a sickening lurch at the thought of being parted from him whilst they sunned themselves on a Hawaiian beach. Gently circling her fingers through his soft blonde curls, the initial elation she had felt immediately began to ebb away, wanting to scoop him up into her arms and never let him go. 

“Baby, I hadn’t even contemplated leaving Louis behind! I’ve already applied for him to be added to both of our passports so that he can travel with us when we fly out to Cyprus for the wedding, this trip to the U.S and then on to Hawaii.” He marvelled at her astonishment of thinking he would have planned all of this without including their son in his plans. 

“You have?! Oh Tom you are just too wonderful! You think of everything.” She proclaimed as she took his flushed cheeks into her grasp and kissed him joyously.                  

The rest of the day couldn’t have been more perfectly spent, quietly together relaxing in their own home and with their beautiful son. 

In the late afternoon, Tom had made an excuse about needing to log onto his laptop in the office and so disappeared off, leaving Sophia to lounge on the sofa enjoying one of her new Blu-rays which she’d received for her birthday with Louis splayed out fast asleep in her lap. She couldn’t help but notice how much heavier their boy was becoming as he was growing, no longer the babe in arms he had been just a few months ago. They had recently made the decision to move him over onto formula milk which appeared to also be helping with the growth spurt he was currently going through. Sophia couldn’t help but find herself watching her little man sleep, not wanting to divert her eyes from him even for just a moment in case it would lead her to missing a single new development. Gently brushing a single finger down his chubby reddened cheeks, she felt complete contentment that everything in their lives was now back to just how it should be.  

Tom had been gone some time before she began to wonder what was keeping him, just as the doorbell rang. Confused at hearing him lightly making his way down the stairs, he called out to say he would answer it. She soon heard familiar voices in the hallway which were filtering in through the open door to the lounge, getting louder as he showed the visitors through to join her. 

“Hi, wow this is a surprise! It’s lovely to see you both!” Sophia chirped, getting to her feet with Louis scooped up in her arms as she saw a very relaxed looking Benedict and Sophie enter just ahead of Tom, greeting her with hugs and kisses. Offering for them to take a seat, Ben helped the rather heavily pregnant Sophie down on to the sofa before taking the seat next to her. 

“Is this about what happened the other night? I’m sorry you both had to find out about that waste of space in that way, it certainly wasn’t my intention to make what had happened so public but him just turning up like that took me rather by surprise…” Sophia began, feeling her blushing cheeks burning hotter as the embarrassment of what had occurred at her party washed over her. 

“Oh no, don’t think anything of it. I’m sorry of course for recommending him to you in the first place but he won’t be working for us or any other clients in the near future after we contacted as many people as we could and spread the word not to take him on.” Sophie reassured her friend with a warm smile. 

“So if it’s not about Jason I’m guessing there’s another reason for your visit?” Sophia replied quizzically. Sophie and Ben both smiled at one another before turning to Tom who was now grinning from ear to ear from the chair next to Sophia’s. 

“Tom...what’s going on?” She urged, noting the knowing looks that were being passed between him and their guests. 

“Sweetheart, Ben and Sophie are here to collect Louis. They’ve offered to have him overnight for us as...we have plans this evening.” He hesitated, not wanting to give too much away about the further surprises he had for his girl for their anniversary and to celebrate her special birthday.        

Seeing from her facial reaction that she was about to protest to these plans, he took her hand into his and brought it up to his lips, kissing the back of her hand. 

“Darling, it’s all arranged. Louis is going to spend the night with Ben and Sophie as they haven’t had an opportunity to spend any real time with him since his Christening.” 

“It will be good practice for the two of us as well, especially before this one arrives.” Sophie added rubbing her hand backwards and forwards across her exceedingly large bump. 

“I have his overnight bag all ready for you, along with his travel cot which I’ll go and bring down from the nursery.” Tom murmured as he gently tucked a loose strand of her blonde hair behind her ear whilst enjoying the look of complete bewilderment on his sweet girls face for the second time that day. Placing a kiss on her cheek, he excused himself from the room leaving Sophia to hand over their son to Ben and Sophie.   

“Thank you both so much. If you need anything at all though please do call, we will both have our phones with us in case there’s any problems at all.” Sophia insisted as she hugged their friends. Louis, who was now wide awake and looking around excitedly to see what was going on around him squealed in delight when Ben picked him up under his arms and lifted him high above his head in a playful way as the infant frantically waved his arms and legs around at the sensation of being so high up. There was a chorus of laughter from the three of them at his excitable outburst. 

“It’ll be so wonderful for him to have a play mate when your little one arrives.” Sophia gushed happily. 

“Even more so seeing as we are having a boy as well!” Sophie announced as Louis’ little hand reached out and grasped her finger as he rested on Ben’s hip closest to her. 

“We found out a few weeks ago but wanted to keep it a surprise until the birth but it will perfect to think of our little boys growing up together, so similar in age they will likely be at nursery and even school together!” She added as her slender features watched Louis in her husband's arms, picturing their own son in his arms in just a few months time. 

 

“I’m sure they will be the very best of friends, just like their parents.” Tom added as he reentered the room carrying Louis’ bag and folded up travel cot. 

“Let's get these out to the car and Sophia can have one last cuddle with her little man before we leave you to enjoy the rest of your anniversary.” Ben suggested, following Tom into the hallway and out to their car.

 

Standing on the doorstep of their home, Tom cradled Sophia tightly in his arms from behind as they watched their friends car start up and pull away with their son securely strapped in the back, leaving the two of them alone.

“Tom, are you sure about this? I feel terrible abandoning Louis so that we can go out and enjoy ourselves for the second time in as many days.” Sophia wiped a lonely tear from her flushed cheek after having fought so hard to keep them back as they watched the blacked out 4x4 drive off down the road. Being parted from the centre of her little world wasn’t something she was as yet used to doing so early in his life.  Twisting her round to face him and cupping her face so that her eyes met his own, which were filled with warmth and love.    

“He’ll be absolutely fine darling, I promise. I think we owe it to ourselves after the rollercoaster 12 months we’ve had together to mark such a special occasion. I also want to make the most of spoiling you tonight, while I have you all to myself.” Tom reassured her before laying the softest of kisses on the end of her nose, bringing a little smile to her troubled expression which in turn brought out his own smile of relief.  

“Clark will be arriving shortly my love, so we’ll head back inside as I have one last thing I need to do before we can go.” He gestured to the open doorway for her to lead the way back into the house. 

 

Leaving Sophia to relax in the lounge, Tom scooped up Cookie and attached her lead whilst making his way into the kitchen to gather together her dog bed and food bowl and disappeared out of the front door towards their next door neighbours who had arranged to look after the hyperactive puppy for the evening. 

Seeing Clark pull up as he finished thanking the kind elderly lady next door, Tom gave a nod to acknowledge his driver’s arrival and promptly made his way into the hallway, calling out to Sophia as he entered. Making his way upstairs to retrieve the overnight bags that he’d packed earlier that afternoon he joined Sophia out at the car leaving Clark to store away the cases within the boot. 

“Overnight bags? Tom, where on earth are we going?” Sophia questioned as he slipped in behind the driver’s seat.  

“That, my love, is just one of the surprises.” He beamed in delight, relaxing back into the soft leather upholstery. 

 

Once they approached their destination, Tom revealed a black scarf that he’d borrowed from her wardrobe and glided it over her eyes. 

“What are you doing?!” She squealed, surprised and confused as to why everything had suddenly gone dark. 

“It’s just a blindfold, so that you don’t guess where we are heading to before we get there.” Tom swept the back of his hand gently down her cheek reassuringly, then returned it to her awaiting outstretched hand which he gave a little squeeze as their fingers entwined.      

“Madam.” Tom said as he took her hand and drew her out of the car as he held the door open for her. 

“Can I take this off yet?” She asked impatiently. 

“Not yet, I will tell you when it’s time my darling.” He replied smokily into her ear so only she heard. 

Wrapping her arm around his, he guided her slowly to a small set of steps at the entrance to the large building, making their way inside without any unwanted attention. 

 

“When I say, I need you to take a large step forward for me, princess.” Tom explained. Ushering her forwards, she felt the floor beneath her feet change from that of soft carpet to a hard tile which echoed the click of her teal peep toe heels, confusing her as to their current location. Making sure she was firmly holding on to the handrail, Tom stepped away briefly to set their course in motion before he took his place just inches away from his elegantly dressed bride-to-be. His eyes were fixed on her as she stood turning her head, trying to determine her whereabouts and to where they maybe heading. 

Watching his beautiful girl, who was standing in exactly the same place where she had been one year ago, when he had felt the overwhelming urge to kiss her, he tenderly ran his thumb across her bottom lip just as he had that night. With her vision impaired due to Tom’s makeshift blindfold, her other senses were now in overdrive. The quiet hum of the motor pulling them ever upwards echoed in her ears whilst the distinctive scent of lingering heavy wood, combined with a note of tobacco and the essence of leather from his aftershave caused a smile to tug at her lips as Tom slipped his arm about her waist, ready to guide her forwards, his lips brushing her temple lightly. Placing his hand on her chin and tilting her head up to meet his, their lips met in a gentle and tender kiss. His affectionate gesture sparked a memory in Sophia that was so vivid in her mind, the heat rose through her body at his very touch once more as though no time had passed since they had been in this very same situation only hours after their first meeting.   

Their kiss was broken by the soft sound of a ping within the close confines of the elevator which Sophia had come to the conclusion was the most likely place they could be, but going where, she had no clue. 

She heard the distinct sound of the doors sliding open but was still unable to see anything through the darkness of whatever it was that had been placed in front of her eyes as he led her out of the elevator. Feeling the softness of the carpet once again beneath her feet, she didn’t have long before they came to an unexpected halt. When Sophia heard the whir and click of something mechanical, she grasped Tom’s hand a little tighter, unsure of where he was now leading her. 

 

After their brief pause, Tom took both of her hands into his grasp and slowly guided her forwards until he brought them to a complete standstill. Trying to take in everything she could of this new location, the first thing she noticed was a sweet aroma undoubtedly from a variety of flowers which wafted close to her nose bringing a happy smile to her previously nervous expression.  There appeared to be no distinctive sounds that she could hear besides the faint bustle of the traffic outside which led her to the conclusion that she must be in fact stood close to a window as she felt Tom step around her silently until he was directly behind her. Slowly, she felt the tension of her blindfold beginning to loosen behind her head as he unknotted it and removed it altogether from in front of her eyes. 

    The soft lighting behind them helped her eyes to refocus as she adjusted to her new surroundings, but it was the breathtaking view that she saw first of all, looking over the city she now called home, from the very same view point he had shown her a year ago. Reaching his arms around her waist and enveloping her tightly into his muscular frame, Tom nuzzled his head into her neck and placed a kiss on her cheek. The dampness of her soft skin as his lips made contact startled him until he realised, looking up and seeing tears were silently gliding from the corners of her soft blue eyes. 

“Darling, why are you crying? Are you unhappy? Have I assumed wrong in bringing you here tonight?” His voice was heavy with concern. 

“No, no my love, they’re happy tears. This is perfect, as are you, for arranging for us to come back to where it all started for us.” Slowly spinning her around where she stood so that she was now facing him, he softly wiped away the tears from her reddened cheeks before drawing her in close to kiss her sweet lips. It was a deep, lingering kiss that left her feeling dizzy and light on her feet. She reached out to grasp his firm shoulders to steady herself but instead in that moment he scooped her up into his arms and made his way across the lounge towards the master bedroom. 

 

Expecting that he would carry her straight to the luxurious king sized bed to begin their evening a little earlier than she had expected, Sophia was surprised when he continued through the room and into the dimly lit en suite. Setting her down onto her feet, Sophia was overwhelmed by the incredible amount of candles that flickered away on every possible surface including around the standalone marbled bath which had been filled with steaming hot foaming water and the soothing aroma of lavender, relaxing her almost instantly. Retaining his stance behind her, Tom slid his hands carefully around her waist and over her sheer black blazer to secure her tightly to him from behind as he simultaneously lowered his lips to her soft neck. Leaving a trail of featherlight kisses along her skin, a low murmur of desire released from between her lips at his sensitive touch as his fingers effortlessly unbuttoned her jacket and slid it from her slim figure. Feeling the molten heat of desire begin to rise from deep down in her core, an overwhelming need of further contact with the man she loved consumed her. Sensually, she guided her hand up behind her to the column of his neck and up into his hair, she to gently pull his lips further to her skin.   

From his position over her shoulder, he had the perfect view of her exquisite body, his eyes instantly drawn to her ample chest beneath her teal sleeveless top, which just the thought of taking those between his lips had him already semi hard without having barely placed a hand on her. In an attempt to slow his racing labido and in order to savour this rare time alone with his gorgeous girl, he delicately ran his fingers up and down her exposed arms whilst breathing in her subtle, delicate perfume an attempt to calm his natural desire. 

Sophia slipped out of her velvet stilettos, instantly bringing her height down from his jawline to now being level with his shoulders. Turning to face him, she began to seductively unbutton the short sleeved light blue cotton shirt that adorned his masculine frame, tilting her head forwards to leave a single kiss down his chest where each of the buttons had been moments before. Their hands began to roam over one another as they continued to peel off one another's clothes whilst their lips interlocked in a slow and heartwarming kiss.   

Helping each out of their remaining clothes, they were soon slipping into the soothing water within the bath, Sophia wrapped in Tom’s strong arms holding her close to him in a tender embrace, savouring being able to caress each other without having to rush. 

 

An hour later, Tom, who was now dried off and dressed in a pair of charcoal coloured formal trousers and a fresh crisp white shirt, with its top button left undone, was wrapping the fluffiest of white bathrobes affectionately around his soon-to-be wife.

“I’ve arranged a little something for you which you’ll find hanging up in the wardrobe my darling, so if you’d like to get dressed and meet me in the lounge in a short while once you’re ready.” He smiled a hinting grin as to what he had planned for their evening and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead affectionately before exiting the room, leaving her utterly bewildered. 

Making her way through into the bedroom, Sophia was surprised to see her weekend bag sitting on the bed. Unsure as to when it had arrived, feeling pretty sure Tom hadn’t carried any bags with him into the suite, guessed that Clark must have arranged for the concierge to deliver their luggage to the room whilst they were otherwise engaged.  

Noticing that her vanity bag hand already been positioned on the dressing table, she picked out her make-up bag, hair dryer, brush and straighteners where she began to blow dry her flowing blonde hair. After adding soft curls with the use of the straighteners, she began her usual regime of applying her make-up. Once she had accentuated her sleek black eyeliner and completed the smokey look around her eyes with the use of mascara. She finally added a healthy layer of foundation and rouged lipstick before making her way back over to the small suitcase sitting on the bed which Tom had so kindly packed for her. 

As she reached the edge of the kingsize bed, she noticed a large white box which had been placed neatly next to her case with the words ‘Fleur of England’ prominently embossed in magenta on the lid. Remembering that Tom had already mentioned that there was a surprise waiting for her in the wardrobe, she was more than a little curious to see what was inside this expensive looking packaging. Delicately sliding her fingertips across the calligraphy lettering she noticed a small magenta tab hanging from the front of the box to ease the lid from its base. The packaging parted with ease to reveal a mass of magenta tissue paper and a credit card sized white envelope with her own name neatly written in Tom’s familiar handwriting sitting on top. Taking out the delicate crisp white card encased within, she read aloud the message to which he had taken great care to write for her. 

_ “My darling Sophia. This is a little something which, I hope my beautiful girl, you will allow me a private showing of later this evening. Yours Forever, Tom x.” _

Sophia read and reread the note on the card with an almost childlike grin of excitement spreading across her face at the realisation of what was inside. Gently unsealing the sticker which held down the bright pink wrapping, she was greeted by the most exquisite black lingerie. With beautiful to touch French lace adding detail to the soft silk which she found herself caressing, having fallen completely in love with his choice in designer lingerie and expectations it held for the night ahead.   

Securing the clasp of the hook and eye of the perfectly fitting balcony bra, she couldn’t help but catch her reflection in the full length mirror set into the wardrobe door across the room. Stepping closer, she marvelled in awe at how devilishly provocative she felt in such a miniscule amount of material and yet was unable to draw her eyes away from how her body glowed with a new found confidence. She stared in awe at the brazen blonde looking back at her so scantily clad along with the suspenders which had also been enclosed within the extravagant box and being held up by the high waisted belt matching the black lace of the rest of her current attire.  

Having been so overwhelmed by Tom’s first gift, she was enchanted to see what was waiting for her inside the wardrobe itself. Sophia threw her hands up to cover her mouth in awe of the beautiful dress which hung before her. Taking out the black fishtail dress, she stared in wonder at the beauty within her fingertips, unable to believe how perfectly he knew her love for the vintage style to choose the one dress she’d been contemplating over for some time. 

Taking the dress from its hanger, she held it up to herself in delight before slipping inside of the finely detailed ensemble, instantly noticing how gentle the lace cap sleeves and frill around the hemline felt against her flushed skin. Once she had added the final touches to her outfit of a delicate white gold necklace and the pair of extravagant Jimmy Choo’s Tom had treated her to not long after Christmas on the pretence of, “Can I not spoil my favourite girl for no reason?” and of course who could argue with that! 

With a final once over in the mirror, she felt more confident about her appearance all thanks to the incredibly thoughtful man she was soon to call her husband. With that heart warming thought in her mind she made her way out of the bedroom and into the lounge to join him. 

She found him standing enjoying their favourite view of London from the magnificent floor to ceiling windows looking out over Park Lane and a barely visible Hyde Park. He must have been listening intently for the sound of the door opening as his whole body turned upon hearing the slightest sound behind him. 

Panic filled her heart with dread as she saw his eyes widen to the point she thought they were going to pop out of their sockets, as though he was an animated character in a children’s cartoon. 

“Is something wrong?” She choked, her eyes instantly looking down over her dress as she began frantically running her hands over the gentle material, imagining the worst as she so often did. “Does it look that terrible on me?” 

“No no my love, quite the opposite in fact. You are truly mesmerising to behold.” Promptly making his way over to her, he took her into his arms and placed a gentle yet wanton kiss to her lips, echoing the truth of his words. 

In that moment, he poured the deep longing of sharing this intimate moment with the woman he loved, combined with his lustful desires for her seeing her looking more incredible than ever, sparking once again the heated desire between them. In an attempt to deepen their kiss, Sophia ran her long, slender fingers along his shoulders and up into his silken hair. She found herself somehow even more attracted to him, if that was even possible, with thanks to his shorter and lighter shade of blonde instead of his usual chestnut, which was with thanks to his current filming role which had taken him away from their little family for longer than they had previously had to endure and had missed one another terribly.    

Just as they had both felt earlier that evening as they had undressed one another prior to their bath, they were intent on relaxing and enjoying one another's company and not just to skip straight ahead to ‘dessert’ so early on which they could feel stirring between them to dizzying heights once again in that moment. 

With a heavy sigh, he pulled away from their stirring kiss and lightly pressed his lips to her forehead before taking a step back to reach out his hand to her, leading them through to the adjoining corridor. 

 

Sophia was curious as to where they were going as she hadn’t had the opportunity to see this room during her previous stay but was delighted by the effort Tom had gone to in making everything just perfect for the two of them. In the centre of the dimly lit room, a dining table had been dressed for a romantic meal for two, complete with a decorative candelabra whose candles were lit and flickering away gently. Making his way to the nearest high-backed chair, Tom pulled out the seat for Sophia. She gave him a heartfelt smile as she lowered herself gracefully into the cushioned antique chair with ease.  Tom couldn’t help but let his fingertips gently glide down the soft exposed skin of her arms, sending a spark of excitement straight to her core. Suddenly, a rush of deliciously naughty thoughts rushed through her mind, of simply skipping dinner altogether and instead straddling him in the seat he was now occupying opposite her in a wild flurry of passion. In an attempt to distract her mischievious mind, she instead began to wonder what menu he had chosen for them. 

A knock at the door left Sophia wondering no more when a waiter from the hotel entered with a large tray which he placed down on the ornate wooden sideboard just inside the door. Effortlessly he, along with a second waiter who had now entered the room, each settled a large dining plate in front of the couple before removing the silver domed covers to reveal an exquisite culinary delight. 

“Oh Tom! You remembered!” She exclaimed in surprise at instantly recognising her favourite French cuisine of Grilled salmon served over a saffron potato risotto with black truffle butter. It was a simple but very much loved dish, and one she had had so many times before in a number of traditional little restaurants throughout the south of France when she was a teenager holidaying with her mother and Steve in the years that followed her horse riding accident. 

Her mouth began to water in anticipation, her eyes feasting on the meal sat before her as her knife effortlessly slid through the succulent pink fish. Whilst selecting some of the exquisite roasted vegetables which accompanied her meal she watched one of the waiters as he uncorked a bottle of Pinot Gris and a Pinot Noir and offered each wine to the two of them before pouring. Placing the bottle of red wine on the table whilst the white now occupied a silver ice bucket beside it, he and the second waiter departed from the room. 

Sophia couldn’t fail to notice both the neatly presented carrots and green beans had been regimentally chopped to the exact same length and width as one another, no doubt to such precision they could be measured with a ruler, before being lightly dressed in the tantalising rich flavour of the sauce. Taking her first bite was heavenly and somehow managed to taste even better than Sophia could have imagined. 

Having been so taken aback by this incredible meal, she hadn’t noticed that rather than starting on his own food, Tom was infact watching his beautiful girl in all her happiness. 

“Is everything ok sweetheart? Are you not hungry?” She asked when she finally noticed that his eyes were fixed on her rather than the plate in front of him. 

“It is absolutely perfect, I’m merely taking a moment to enjoy the pleasure on your sweet face my love.” He beamed, flashing his perfect killer white smile at her. She couldn’t help but smile wider and brighter than she had been moments previous seeing how content he appeared to be. 

They began to discuss the final preparations for their big day. They spoke of her father’s expectant arrival a few days before the wedding and his unexpected request to bring a plus one, which had come as rather a surprise to Sophia, having had no idea her father had even been dating anyone! 

“So where are we up to in terms of the final details now? Has the wedding planner been keeping you up to speed on everything?” He asked between mouthfuls of his main course. 

“The flowers, reception and cake have all been confirmed. Abi has been sending me countless photos of everything for approval so I feel confident it will all come together without too much worry prior to our arrival.” Sophia advised, recalling her previous email just that morning from Abigail, or Abi as she was happy to be referred to as, who the couple had appointed as their personal wedding planner in Cyprus. Sophia had spent a long time researching just the right person to co-ordinate their wedding and having spoken at length with Abi about her background and experience she was sure she’d found the perfect candidate. 

The British born young woman was in her late twenties and had chosen to swap the bustling life of the UK for the sunkissed Cypriot island two years ago. She had worked her way up through the hotel industry straight out of school, first as a waitress and then evolving into event management before using her caring and passionate nature to become a highly sort after wedding planner in some of the creme de la creme of hotels around the country. Having arranged many high profile weddings for numerous Premiership footballers, pop stars and other home-grown talent, Abi seemed the natural choice to assist Sophia co-ordinate the finer details that she couldn’t do herself from her home in London. Abi had been advised during their first telephone call as to the sensitive nature of the couple's situation and their hopes of keeping the arrangements away from the press to ensure their special day wasn’t intruded by journalists and Paparazzi. Naturally, being just a year younger than Sophia, Abi was well aware as to who Tom Hiddleston was and even commented on having seen some of his past work which she had most enjoyed, in particular his role as Loki. 

To ensure everything was to be kept hush hush, the couple had arranged for Luke to compile a confidential agreement to which she was of course completely on board with and happy to sign.  

 

The two young women had found themselves chatting almost daily, either by email or Skype about a wide range of topics including seating charts for the ceremony and reception, flowers and decorations along with countless discussions about the menu. 

“The food is very important to us Abi,” Sophia had addressed one morning, upon reviewing a selection of menus which she had sent through from the head chef at the stylish and contemporary hotel where they had chosen to host their wedding celebrations, but as of yet they hadn’t quite wow’d her or Tom. 

“If I’m honest, Tom and I have talked at length and we’d really love something traditional to the island rather than the fancy minimalist food they have suggested. Could you speak to them again for us and see what they can come up with?” Sophia had asked, wanting to make sure that their guests had a wholesome meal inside them if they were then to be enjoying the night with a few drinks, especially the Aussie contingent, who she knew straight away would be making the most of the party atmosphere.

After several more variations of the menu being sent backwards and forwards, they had finally selected their wedding breakfast meal which the chefs had then cooked and photographed for their approval aware that the happy couple would be unable to sample the food before the big day. 

 

“Well that’s good to hear, I do feel terrible that I’ve not been here to help with more of the planning but you seem to have everything under control. There are two things however I want to take full charge of…” Tom began, before sampling another mouthful of the exquisite meal that had been prepared for them.  

“Oh, and what’s that because we have most things ticked off the list now darling?” She asked, contemplating what he could possibly have in mind. 

“The main one being the rings my love, I have something in mind for yours and I would like it to be a surprise until the moment I slide it on to your finger if you don’t have any objections?” He gave her a heartwarming smile which always had a way of instantly making her want to agree with anything he said.

“Of course sweetheart, but I’d like to be there to choose yours, it does seem only right that I help to make that decision, after all, I will be the one using it as my declaration as we stand before our loved ones.” Sophia was adamant of this and wasn’t going to take no for an answer.   

“You’re absolutely right as always. We will arrange a time for us to visit a jewelers in a couple of weeks time before I fly out to Morocco. How does that sound?” He asked, contemplating his hectic filming schedule over the coming weeks. 

“Perfect!” She beamed, taking a sip of the crisp white wine she now swirled around within the glass in her hand. 

 

A short while later and the waiters had returned. The first cleared away their empty plates whilst the second served to them a culinary delight of rich lemon souffles which they both whole heartedly tucked into. 

The remainder of the evening they spent quietly tucked up on the oversized couch in the suite’s lounge, enjoying this rare moment of peace together in the tranquil surroundings. Holding his sweet girl in his arms, Tom couldn’t help but think back over the last year and how much his life had changed. He’d woken up that morning a year ago a bachelor, who poured his heart and soul into his work in the hopes of masking his deep longing for companionship. For the most part, he had become a robot as his life became a monotonous cycle of countless black tie events, the never ending demand of people wanting to take selfies with him and the predictable barrage of questions from airhead reporters constantly raising the topic of his “eligible bachelor” status, even as he frustratedly tried to engage the conversation of the work he was doing with UNICEF. Now, a year later and he was happier than he could have possibly imagined. With a beautiful woman at his side, who had proved time and time again that she would stand by him through all of life’s highs and lows, and had provided him with the little miracle that had become the centre of his world. The angelic smile of their perfect little Louis would always instantly fade away any negativity his father might have been feeling in those countless weeks away on location filming, helping him to realise how unconditional love could be. The knowledge that he had everything he could possibly want in his life overwhelmed him experdentially and this completeness stemmed from this precious jewel laid in his arms who would soon become his wife.         

  
  


As the early morning light seeped around the edges of the thick, heavy curtains, Sophia stirred from a peaceful night's sleep. With her eyes still tightly closed in the hope of drifting back into the blissful dream she had awoken from, she glided her outstretched hand across the Egyptian cotton sheets in search of Tom’s familiar torso to cuddle up to, but was surprised to find his side of the bed was cold and empty. Her heart lurched at the realisation that she was alone and couldn’t help but feel a stab of disappointment. Her mind began to wander then as to where he might be and remembered that this was in fact exactly how she had woken up on her birthday last year, naked and alone in Tom’s bed, unsure as to his whereabouts until he had surprised her with a spectacular breakfast fit for a Queen. Right on queue, as if he could sense that she was awake through the solid wooden door of the bedroom, the heartwarming sight of her beloved man entering the room dressed in nothing more than a fluffy white towel and carrying a breakfast tray.     

“Good Morning Beautiful!” Tom chimed happily at seeing she was already awake as he stepped through the doorway, making his way over to the foot of the bed. Placing the tray down on to the luxurious duvet, he settled himself down into the empty space on his side of the bed and turned to face her. Cupping her cheeks into his palms, he lowered his head until he felt her gentle puckered lips meet his own, slightly parted and ready to greet him. 

 

“Happy birthday!” He said softly as they finally broke away from one another. Pulling the back of her hand up to his lips, he placed a single kiss, smiling as he did so, before reaching over to the breakfast tray and collecting a square box which had been elegantly gift wrapped in pale green paper with a cream satin bow. The look of surprise and excitement beamed across his sweet girls face when she saw what was in his hand. 

“Oh Tom you shouldn’t have, you’ve spoilt me enough already with the party and the trip to Hawaii.” She begun, until Tom held a single finger to her lips to quieten her protests. 

“My darling, I want to spoil you and I think today of all days I am allowed to do that. Hawaii is more of a honeymoon so doesn’t count towards your birthday presents.” He insisted, giving her a knowing look until she nodded her head that she agreed to go along with his theory. 

“In any case, this isn’t from me, this is a little something from your beautiful boy who loves his mummy more than anyone in the world.” Tom explained happily, handing her the gift. 

Gently removing the delicate wrapping, Sophia removed the lid to reveal a sparkling Pandora bracelet which already had a number of charms attached to it. 

“Each charm has its own meaning, the theatre masks for how you and I met, the sparkling crown because you are my princess, the little handprint with the blue stone to represent Louis and this one is your birthstone...” Tom began, pointing to each one which sat neatly placed around the sterling silver bracelet. 

“Ohh a paw print one for Cookie too, how perfect!” Sophia exclaimed in excitement at the pearlised ball which a single black doggy paw print embossed in the centre.

“This one,” Tom said, pointing to an ornate silver heart hanging charm, “actually separates in half…” he began to explain. Sophia let out a joyful sound as he delicately twisted the two halves apart to reveal a turquoise centre with the words ‘mother’ on one and ‘son’ on the other. 

“Oh Tom that is beautiful! Thank you so much!” She wiped the tears away from her still sleepy eyes. 

“There is still plenty of space to add to it though.” He told her “That way if you see one you like you can either let me know or you can treat yourself instead.”

“I love the idea of having them as gifts from you and Louis, that way each one will be more meaningful.” Leaning forwards she kissed him, wanting to let him know just how special this gift was to her.   

“Darling I’m so pleased you like it.” He kissed her again, this time the kiss lasted longer than the previous ones they had shared that morning. Tom caressed her cheek and gently nudged his tongue into her mouth which she willingly reciprocated, deepening their kiss as Sophia lightly tugged at the loosely tied towel around his waist before sliding herself on top of him. 

The rest of the day couldn’t have been more perfect for Sophia and that was all thanks to this incredible man who she cherished dearly and could not wait to become his wife.  

 

***To be continued


	38. Chapter 38

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the new chapter and we are getting ever closer to the wedding :D Hope you all enjoy and of course if you want to share your thoughts then they are always welcomed :D

The final countdown to the wedding had begun with just over 10 weeks to go. The small alterations to the length of Sophia’s dress had been completed, which now hung, well guarded in the guest bedroom at Diana’s house. The design of the cake had been finalised along with the flowers for her bouquet and the wedding parties buttonholes with help from Abi’s local contacts in Cyprus.

Tom and Sophia had talked at length of the importance of wanting to write their own vows for one another and so, whilst Tom had a break in filming before heading off to  Marrakesh the two of them penned their thoughts down and individually sent them over to Abi for her expert opinion. 

“I think i’ve just about stopped crying.” Abi confessed during one of her skype calls with Sophia late one Thursday evening. 

“I honestly don’t think I’ve looked forward to a wedding more than this one, you two are perfect for each other!” She added, feeling herself about to well up once again. 

“Aww Abi that’s so sweet but I’m sure you say that all your brides!” Sophia exclaimed with a soft laugh, however she had to agree that she and Tom were made for each other.     

“Just to let you know,” Abi began, bringing Sophia’s thoughts back to the conversation at hand. “I’ve been speaking to Luke and he’s confirmed Tom’s filming schedules to me so we can ensure you have a couple of days before the wedding to meet with the registrars to complete your intent to marry and settle you both into your accommodation.” She advised, ticking off her list of ‘To Do’s’ on her IPad for the big day. 

“Have you confirmed my room at the hotel for the night before the wedding?” Sophia enquired, remembering she hadn’t previously seen any confirmation of the booking.

“Yes indeed, that has all been taken care of. I’ve booked a beach view suite for you. There is a large master bedroom with an on-suite including jacuzzi bath along with a spacious lounge and balcony area which is ideal for the hair and makeup to be done on the morning.” Abi concluded. 

“That’s great thanks Abi, you really are a god send, having you there to arrange all these things is making my life so much easier I can tell you. By the way, I emailed through the flight confirmations for our family members, did you receive those ok?” Sophia queried. 

“I certainly did. I have arranged the necessary accommodation at the hotel for each guest as per your spreadsheet and have just emailed it back to you with their individual reservation numbers. Can I check though, initially I had Luke down as a double room but now it’s a single occupancy, is that correct? Is there a guest that is no longer attending?” Abi had touched the sore spot that Sophia was hoping to avoid for as long as possible. Running her hands through her hair in frustration, the weight of the argument with Charlotte still causing her heartache at the thought of not having her best friend at her wedding. Sophia let out a huge sigh before answering her awaiting co-ordinator. 

“It is a little complicated, so for now can we leave the room as a double but for sole occupancy until I tell you otherwise. The guest numbers are one less yes but that person was on the seating chart as NTBA and we will continue as it is for now.” Sophia instructed in a calm and level tone, the exact opposite to how she was now feeling just thinking about it all. Quickly wrapping up the rest of the call, Sophia arranged to speak with Abi the following week once she had received further news of the Hemsworth’s travel plans to the island. Chris was currently still filming for an upcoming movie and so as yet the completion date was still a little uncertain. 

 

Sophia absentmindedly made her way into the kitchen and prepared herself a steaming mug of hot chocolate with just a splash of Baileys as a treat and began to mull over her argument with Charlotte. As always, she found herself at a loss as to why, after all this time, things hadn’t been resolved. She knew it would take her making the first move and maybe even apologising to even begin opening up the line of communication even though it had been Charlotte who had accused her in the first place. As similar as the two young women were, this was one area where they differed. Whilst Sophia liked to thrash out the issues there and then to resolve any tensions straight away, Charlotte prefered to pull herself away and required time to reflect on what had been said in order to come to her own conclusion before acting on her feelings. Both were effective methods but when it came to the two of them, calling a timeout was the only way to come to a resolution but this had been the longest time they hadn’t spoken for and right now she needed her best friend more than ever. No amount of nudging, whether it be subtle or more direct from Tom and Luke had done the trick either and the once best friends now refused to discuss it any further. However, it was clear to both of the guys that their better halves were less than happy but had failed to come up with a solution to resolve their silence once and for all.  

  
  


The sun shone brightly as Tom sat waiting in the airport terminal of Heathrow airport waiting to board his flight to Marrakech, which would be acting as a stand-in location for the busy streets of Cairo for the next set of filming for his upcoming tv production. The six part drama wouldn’t be aired until early 2016 so for now the reason for his visit to the Moroccan city was to be kept on the down low. As he relaxed in the comfort of the first class lounge, he couldn’t help but reflect that the next time he would be touching down on UK soil he would be a married man! He let out a deep breath at the magnitude of what that meant. He would no longer be the gossip magazines most eligible bachelor, which to him he had withdrawn from that title the day he found out that Sophia was expecting his child but he couldn’t help thinking about what would it really mean to him? His life would not be all that different to what it had been for this last year, he would still be the same person, with the same responsibilities to the woman he had chosen to father a child with and to live together whilst continuing with his acting and public engagements but somehow he felt that by marrying Sophia his life would feel whole. She had come along at a time in his life when he had all but turned his emotions off in after one failed relationship too many, choosing instead to concentrate on his career. It was without one of the two best things to have happened to him in his life, alongside becoming a father. 

He had always known he would one day like to have children of his own, but to actually be a father was something unexplainable until that magical day when their baby boy had finally come into the world. To see that little bundle of joy light up at seeing your face, as though you had made their whole day just by simply walking into their line of sight was an incredible feeling. Knowing that you would be there to guide and nurture that little person through so many obstacles, of which they were only at the very start of as Louis continuously made new developments in his growth and learning. Tom smiled to himself as he thought of hearing his son who was now already nearly six months old was often trying so hard to “speak” to them through his babbles which were currently still unclear. However, the determination in his face told them both that it wouldn’t be too long before he shared his first word with them. 

Hearing his flight being called, Tom made his way to the gate, boarded the plane and settled into his seat with ease. The rest of the cast and crew had flown out the day prior and would be waiting for him at the hotel to begin filming at first light tomorrow. After take off, Tom dug out his now battered copy of John Le Carre’s ‘The Night Manager’ to help give him insight into his character, Jonathon Pine but after reading and rereading the same page a half dozen times without a single word having sunk in, he placed the book back into his bag. He knew he had to focus on the job at hand now and placing his metaphorical work hat on, but for all his will it was his family and the upcoming wedding that weighed heavy on his mind for the duration of the flight. 

As time had passed since his relationship with Sophia began, he now found it harder than ever to be away from his little family. He had come to accept that he would inevitably miss some of Louis life whilst he was away working but he found himself wanting to stay close, now more than ever. Something that wasn’t likely to happen now that his career had taken a huge jump to the next level. His upcoming trio of film releases later in the year would give the cinematic audience a whole new look at him as an actor, from the gothic romance of Crimson Peak, the rather disturbing yet socially relevant High-Rise and his personal favourite of the three roles, I Saw The Light. This was the film he had worked harder on than any other in his career so far, in learning to not only sound as though he was born and raised in the deep south of America but also tuning his voice to reprocate the exact sound produced by the legendary country singer Hank Williams. He was overjoyed at the prospect of these films finally making it to the movie screens and maybe, just maybe for a while at least, to be more than just Loki. He didn’t begrudge the world simply referring to that one role again and again when they discussed his career, because the God of Mischief was a huge part of him and always would be, but now he was ready to show them what else he could do.         

Midway into the three hour and forty minute flight, Tom decided a short nap might help to alleviate the aching in his chest at the thought of now not seeing his fianceé and son until they flew out to join him once the production moved locations for the final time, to Majorca, which sadly wouldn’t be for another two weeks. 

 

“Louis, how is mummy ever going to decide what to pack?” Sophia rhetorically asked allowed, flopping down on to the edge of the bed. She leaned down to catch the attention of her handsome little boy, who was now happily entertaining himself with the various rattles, squeaking soft animals and colourful objects hanging from the bar above his activity mat and taking no notice of what was going on around him. 

It was now the day before the two of them were due to fly out to meet Tom and with the final arrangements for the wedding now tied up she could concentrate on attempting to compile suitable outfits from her ever expanding wardrobe for their vacation. 

She knew from what she had experienced while visiting Tom on set previously that there would be plenty of social gatherings in the evenings with the cast and crew, no doubt dining at some of Palma’s most lavish restaurants and she wanted to look the part, even if she still felt completely out of her depth on the inside. This was a side of her life that she still hadn’t quite got used to, being on the arm of a successful hollywood actor, despite him having already been famous when they got together. It’s certainly one thing to dream of such a lifestyle but to actually live it was another entirely. 

Each time she had attended functions and awards ceremonies at his side, she had always felt a little out of step. Never quite getting used to constantly being blinded by the hordes of flashes from the photographers as they made their way along the star studded carpets, the insesent prying questions about their private lives from the press as he strove to promote his latest project, and not to mention being surrounded by so many famous faces, who would greet the couple like they were old friends, many of whom Sophia had never met before in her life! But it was always at the end of the night she would feel happiest. When they would arrive back to the sanctity of their home, where they could truly relax and he became HER Tom again, leaving his “work head” at the front door. 

 

Sophia had always accepted that this was a big part of keeping his career rolling, by mixing with the right people, which could inevitably lead to that next big role for him. She on the other hand, was a small town girl, thrown into the spotlight after falling in love with this exceptional man who she would finally be married to in just ten days time. 

 

So far they had managed to keep their wedding plans a secret from all but the few family and friends that would be joining them for the big day and that was exactly how they wanted to keep it. 

This however almost backfired as the following day when Clark pulled their car up at the departures terminal and helped Sophia with her luggage whilst she saw to Louis, she was less than happy to see a cartel of Paparazzi and journalists who were in that moment hounding some other poor soul but it gave her the diversion she needed to head straight past them undetected, only to be spotted a few moments later but thankfully by which time she was safely through security and promptly made her way to the departures lounge. 

 

The hot Mediterranean sun was shining brightly as Sophia exited the plane a few hours later carrying Louis on her hip. She had been exceptionally surprised at how well he had coped with his first flight, with only a little grumble when his ears had popped from the change in altitude. It wasn’t long though before he had an array of female cabin crew gathered round, all eager to have a hold of this gorgeous little cherub who had captured the attention of everyone in first class with his angelic smile and infectious giggles.          

Before they had left their seat, a very helpful member of the cabin crew, who introduced himself as Sebastian, helped Sophia with her hand luggage whilst she carried her infant, through to baggage claim. Sophia was delighted to find that her bags were already waiting for them when they reached the bustling hall of conveyor belts full of luggage waiting to be claimed by their owners who were streaming through from various locations ready to start their holidays in this warmer climate.

“A car has been arranged for us to the hotel…” Sophia began as she, Louis and Sebastian made their way out through the arrival doors. Busily looking through the hoards of well dressed chauffeurs and holiday reps holding up signs for their expected arrivals, she spotted one in particular that caught her attention, bringing a beaming smile to her face. A little way down the line she saw a familiar face with the warmest of smiles and a sign in his hand which read, much to her surprise,

_ ‘Miss Sophia Jane Russell’  _

“Was my full name really necessary sweetheart? You don’t think I would have instantly seen you and known you were here for me otherwise?!” She laughed as she approached the well tanned Englishman looking a little sheepish. 

“Well, I thought seeing as it would probably be one of the last times you would get to see this name before it changes next week, I would make the most of the opportunity!” Tom grinning widely. 

“That’s very true darling. If I indeed choose to change my name that is.” Sophia gave him a cheeky wink as she leaned in to kiss him but he retracted his head before she reached his lips.

“What do you mean, if you change your name? Don’t you want to have the same surname as your husband and son?” He asked rather taken aback by this startling news. 

“I have no idea, it’s not something I’d given any thought into but it was rather fun to see your reaction though!” She chortled as Louis, mimicking his mother burst into a high pitched laugh.

“Well, someone else found it funny too!” She added, turning her attention to the infant resting on her waist. 

“I thought you’d be on my side, little man!” Tom exclaimed pretending to look hurt as his eyes dropped down from Sophia to his son. Seeing that Louis had copied his sudden look of sadness, Tom gave him an over exaggerated toothy smile to show his boy just how happy he was to see him as he reached forwards and firmly hauled him into his embrace. Oh, how he had missed this little guy. The distinctive smell of baby oil and talcum powder and the warmth he felt deep inside at holding his precious boy to him. Knowing they would now all be together for the next two weeks threatened to overwhelm him. 

“Are you ok babe?” Sophia asked, having watched the wave of emotions wash over her fiance’s chiseled face. 

“Absolutely. I’ve just missed him so much...and you, far more than I realised in the last two weeks and that’s saying something because it was almost unbearable most days.” He proclaimed, his mind drifting back to those long nights in the hotel after filming had finished and the couple had said their goodnights at the end of their nightly skype chats. That all he wanted to do was to have them there with him. And now they were and he was going to make the most of every second.  

 

Filming had been proceeding well since the cast and crew's arrival on the largest of the Balearic Islands . The day after Sophia’s arrival, Tom was to film a scene involving him swimming the length of a pool at the private villa is character was staying in whilst under the keen eye of the female lead, who Sophia couldn’t help but notice was devastatingly attractive with her size zero waistline, high cheek bones and model-like characteristics. Standing behind the camera and lighting crew, Sophia watched as take after take Tom swam along the pool towards them, climbing out of the water and brushing his hand through his dripping wet hair whilst wearing just a pair of casual swim shorts, looking every bit the sex symbol. 

Once the director was happy he had the takes they had he called for lunch. Clutching a towel as he attempted to dry himself off, Sophia found herself unable to take her eyes off of his wet, naked torso as he sauntered across the set towards her. He could feel himself already feeling drained from the countless number of lengths he’d swam to get the perfect take but knowing they had a hard afternoon ahead of them.  

Over lunch, Tom had explained to her that there would be a highly charged sex scene between his character and Jed who was being played by Elizabeth Delbicki, who was the slender blonde who she’d seen at the pools edge earlier that morning who was playing the trophy girlfriend of Hugh Laurie. 

“I completely understand if you’re not comfortable being here for this my darling, it will look and feel real to you but I can assure you it’s just acting.” He reassured her. She nodded silently, not completely convinced she could watch him pretending to make love to another woman and so soon before their wedding. He explained in details what the scene would involve, all the while she struggled to keep the distaste from her expression at his description of what was to be a quickie against the bedroom wall. 

“Quiet on set please. Tom, Elizabeth into your starting positions please.” The director shouted. Tom kissed Sophia on the cheek before moving into the set to begin the first take. 

Sophia held her breath as the lights around her dimmed and the scene opened in front of her eyes. It began with the two of them hurriedly entering the cool moonlit bedroom, away from prying eyes and desperate to be alone as their animal instincts took over and within seconds Tom’s muscular frame had Elizabeth pinned up against the wall, smearing her lipstick as they  locked into a passion fueled kiss before hurriedly undoing his trousers and imitating intercourse. This was almost unbearable for Sophia, who constantly had to keep reminding herself that it wasn’t real and that he loved her, not the woman who was experiencing being up close and personal with HER soon to be husband. It was hearing the guttural moans coming from the pair of them and the desperate way her fingernails dug into the bare flesh of his backside that she could watch no more. Picking up her nautical striped handbag which sat at her sandaled feet she silently slipped away from the set and out into the welcomed fresh salty air which was blowing off of the Mediterranean sea from the cities harbour. As the scene came to an end and the hair and makeup artists rushed into the set for touch ups, Tom glanced around looking for Sophia to gauge her reaction from what had just taken place but upon realising she was nowhere to be seen casually asked his makeup artist if she had seen his fianceé which was greeted by a sorrowful shaking head. 

Wandering absentmindedly through the streets of the capital, Sophia chastised herself over and over for having left without seeing the scene through and for appearing to not support Tom in his work. She’d wanted so much to embrace the opportunity to see some of these new scenes they were working on but for some reason seeing that raw, wanton lust between them had felt far too real for her emotional well being to handle so close to the wedding. 

She had no clue how long she had been walking for when she found herself at the entrance of a beautiful tree-lined square within the heart of the pedestrianised area of the city. A multitude of designer boutiques lined the outer pavements, where the well to do came to spend their hard earned euros on all the latest fashions before relaxing in one of the many cafés in the gardens of the square. Taking a deep breath, she decided to order a coffee and allow herself a little more time before she headed back to the villa that had been arranged for Tom and his family during their stay on the island. The production team had also kindly provided a nanny for Louis, to allow Sophia the flexibility to visit the set as often as she wished and to take the opportunity to see the sights without having to push the baby around with her. Initially, she had declined the very generous offer, wanting to keep Louis with her at all times but after Tom had suggested that he thought it would be good for her to have some time to herself, she reluctantly agreed. 

Not feeling quite ready to head back to the villa just yet, she wandered along with her coffee in hand towards the harbour, to take in the magnificent view of the La Seu Cathedral which stood proudly at the entrance to the city. 

Luckily for Sophia, she managed to locate an empty bench beneath a tall shady palm tree, away from the scorching afternoon sun which she could already feel had reddened her pale skin, despite the ample amounts of suntan lotion she had applied earlier that morning before selecting a delicate navy blue sundress with a brown belt and matching sandals. She found the perfect spot close to the waters edge, looking out over the plethora of gargantuan sized yachts bobbing in the calm marina. Staring out into the crisp blue sky, her mind a haze of visual images from earlier that morning, which she so desperately wanted to forget, however much she wanted to support his work.   

Just then, the unwelcome feel of her mobile phone vibrating through her handbag which sat flush against her bare leg, frantically buzzing as an incoming call rang silently. Not quite ready to reconnect with the world just yet, she chose to ignore it, instead pouring all of her enjoy a long, slow sip of her cappuccino. A moment later and once again the vibration of her phone disturbed her thoughts. She decided to at least see who was so desperate for her attention and so delved into her bag in search of the device. 

“Hi babe, you ok?” She asked hurriedly, trying to mask over the fact she knew he was calling because he’d have realised she’d left without saying anything to him. 

“I was going to ask you the same thing my darling. Where are you? Is everything alright? I was concerned when I realised you’d left.” Tom confessed, a little hurt and sadness lingering in his voice as he spoke. She was determined not to put her self esteem issues on to him, especially while he was concentrating on doing his job and knowing that this was something she had to deal with herself. Now it was her turn to be the actor and convince him that all was well. 

“I’m absolutely fine sweetheart. I just decided to leave you to it and come for a walk into the city for a while. How’s everything going?” She smiled sweetly  knowing he would be able to hear it within her words as she spoke and helping to make her response that more believable. 

“As long as you’re not overthinking it all. Having seen the rushes of the scene, I can imagine that might have been a little difficult for you to watch.” 

BUSTED!! He could read her like a book and she knew he knew it. Releasing a little sigh and smiled to herself at how well he knew her. 

“It was rather awkward if I’m honest babe, but it’s your job and I want to support you. I know it wasn’t real and I kept telling myself that but I also understand that it had to seem real for the audience to buy into the moment the characters were having.” Sophia confessed, feeling a blush reach her cheeks. 

“You know, that’s what I love about you. You know what you are seeing upsets you and yet you still manage to see the bigger picture. I’m sorry though my darling, you didn’t need to see that unfolding before your eyes. Where are you now? I need to see you so much.” He marvelled, feeling proud of how well it seemed she had dealt with seeing him in such an intimate scene with another woman. 

“I’m by the harbour, just in front of the cathedral but I was planning to go back to the villa soon to check on Louis.” She told him, now with a little more bounce to her tone.

“I should be finished up here in the next hour, so why don’t I meet you back there and you and I will go out to dinner, just the two of us?” He suggested, wanting to bridge any distance she may have been feeling from him. 

“That sounds perfect, I’ll see you soon. I love you.” She replied, feeling more reassured than she had been all afternoon.

“I love you too my beautiful girl.” He crooned happily, content that she was now much happier. 

  
  


“Good morning and welcome back to Cyprus!” Abi chimed as she spotted her expected arrivals coming through the doors of Paphos airport, their luggage following behind them thanks to a very efficient member of the airline staff. Holding out her hand to make the formal introductions, Abi soon found herself in an unexpected but welcomed embrace with Sophia who announced how she had been a complete lifesaver through this whole process and was extremely grateful to finally meet face to face. During the planning stages Abi hadn’t actually spoken to Tom directly apart from the occasional email he’s sent to her regarding some surprises he had planned for Sophia but being full aware of who he was, she held her hand out once again to shake his hand in a more formal greeting.  

“It’s great to finally meet you both in person! And of course little Louis here too! If you’d like to follow me this way, I have a car waiting for us outside.”                              

 

With their luggage safely stored and all passengers buckled into the seven seater people carrier, their driver headed out on to the Cypriot highway towards the small coastal town where they would be staying for the week. They had once again rented the villa the couple had stayed during their last visit, whilst their friends and family would be staying at a nearby hotel which would also be the location for the wedding celebrations. 

From her backwards facing seat, Abi opened up her leather organiser and started up her ipad to run through the weeks itinerary with them. 

“So we will be arriving at your accommodation in around thirty minutes and I’ve scheduled in two hours for you to relax, unpack and have some lunch before we will drive over to meet with the registrars to complete your intent to marries and complete all of the necessary paperwork to ensure the ceremony on Thursday will be legal. That will take around an hour and a half which then leaves you with the rest of the day free. Any questions?” Abi clarified as she checked off her digital list of that day’s plans. When neither Sophia or Tom put forward any concerns she moved on to the following day. 

“Tomorrow I’d like to take you to the venue to familiarise yourselves with where the ceremony and reception will be. We will also have the first of the guests arriving around lunchtime which will be all of your parents and also the best man and his family.” Tom and Sophia squeezed their interlocked fingers together and looked at each other excitedly, their love for one another written across both of their faces. That joyous feeling they both had at finally visiting their special place on the beach once again where Tom had proposed less than a year ago and would soon be the location for their wedding ceremony. To know that their loved ones would be joining them to begin the celebrations made everything feel just that more real now for them too.

“Luke confirmed this morning that he will be arriving late on Wednesday due to work commitments so he will unlikely be here in time for the pre-wedding meal so I have arranged a car to collect him from the airport and bring him straight to the hotel.” Abi added, looking up to see a slight pause in the happy couples beaming smiles at this last minute change to Luke’s arrival. Sophia also couldn’t help but think of Charlotte in that moment but quickly pushed the tugging she felt deep inside, not wanting to ruin their blissful moment.

“Everything ok so far? Any changes you want to make?” Abi asked, professionally gliding over the slight change in atmosphere in the car. 

“No no, we are happy with everything, thank you Abi.” Tom replied, in the hope of giving Sophia a few seconds to regain herself. 

“Yes, absolutely wonderful Abi. You have done a fantastic job and we could not have done all of this without you.” Sophia chimed in a singsong voice, sounding just the faintest bit too happy, but nobody in the car commented on it. 

 

Abi then handed each of them their own personal itinerary for the wedding day itself. 

“Tom, on Wednesday night, Chris will be travelling back to the villa with you after the pre-wedding meal where the two of you will stay and get ready on Thursday morning. You will see I have arranged for a Turkish barber to come out to you on the morning and should you wish, can provide a haircut as well. There will then be a car collecting the two of you at 3:00pm to travel to the venue, meet with the registrar's prior to ceremony starting. All quite relaxed for you chaps, but for our bride on the other hand…” Abi pulled out the second itinerary which was almost doubled in length to that of Tom’s. 

“Thankfully for you though Sophia, with the ceremony not being until late afternoon it won’t be an early start but there is much to be done. We have your suite at the hotel booked in as discussed with your mum’s room right next door so she can be on hand but of course I will be there with you throughout the day for anything you might need. Everyone will be coming to you, so you can relax and enjoy being pampered!” 

_ ‘Abi certainly had everything under control.’  _ Sophia thought to herself reassuringly, settling back into her seat with a sigh of relief that all of their planning and hard work had so smoothly come together. 

The calming voice of their informative co-ordinator soon began to fade into almost a whisper as she continued to run through her agenda whilst Sophia stared out of the car window, watching the enchanting Cypriot countryside pass them by.  

 

To be continued....


End file.
